Reinforcing Stimulus (Noun)
Meaning
(psychology) a stimulus that strengthens or weakens the behavior that produced it.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The teacher's praise served as a reinforcing stimulus, encouraging the student to continue participating in class discussions.
- The bonus he received for meeting his sales quota was a reinforcing stimulus that motivated him to work even harder the following quarter.
- The negative feedback from her peers was a reinforcing stimulus that discouraged her from sharing her ideas in future meetings.
- The satisfaction of solving a difficult puzzle was a reinforcing stimulus that kept him engaged and motivated to tackle even more challenging problems.
- The fear of being punished was a reinforcing stimulus that deterred the child from misbehaving in the future.