Reinforcer 1: Reward

Behavior Change

Behavior demands contingency responses that strengthen or weaken its chances of repetition. Everything that a human does is typically expected to instigate reaction in another. These reactions themselves form the behavior of other individuals. The cycle pretty much continues until these behaviors of people begin to influence their emotions and thoughts. The chicken lays the egg and the egg hatches into yet another chicken. The child is the father of the man who gives birth to yet another child in time. Behaviors of people incessantly impel each other to change for better and occasionally worse too. The transformations need to be appropriate to match the interpersonal requirements in order for the outcome to be apt. Cement ought to be rightly applied, else it solidifies in erroneous positions; behavior can get wrongly reinforced with crooked outcomes.

Positive reinforcers

Reward has been the greatest reinforcer of action in the animal kingdom; humans deciphering the essence of it the most. Humans need incentives and by far, they willfully do things that bring them favorable and desired outcomes (why not?)

• If you eat your food you will get an ice cream
• If I am nice to my wife she will keep me happy
• If I work hard I will get a promotion and a raise
• If I follow that appropriate diet I will lose weight
• If you study hard you’ll get good marks in the exam

When the effect generated by an action is positive, the reward center in the human brain releases dopamine and offers a sense of wellness. An ice cream, a nice, home cooked meal by your wife, a promotion at work, a healthy body, the first rank in class; are all encouraging results of action. They are all positive reinforcers.

Evidence states

Experiments state that a reward is attractive and moves you to action. But what after you have received the reward? What gives you pleasure then? External drivers have a ceiling point. Internal drivers don't. Internal drivers make you enjoy the journey. The destination is important (your reward of course) but the journey ought to be fulfilling. If only we could create a world where we studied for knowledge, not ranks and worked for service, not bonuses. Rewards need to be reappraised from material gains to emotional and personal growth indicators if they are to be applied to alter behavior.

Right rewards

The mind seeks novel stimulation at every cross road. Material rewards lose their impetus in no time. And behavior that was earlier reinforced with that prize soon gets extinct. Food is not eaten, spouses lose interest in each other, bonuses don’t motivate hard work anymore, the weight loss diet gets discounted, and a rank in class is not sought-after. Newer rewards may act as motivators but they too become defunct briskly. Recompenses ought to be internal growth persuaders. There are no limits on the path to actualization. The more one chooses to better oneself, the higher one rises. The sky is the limit, but its span is limitless. If one targets that, reinforcers become the reward itself and good behaviors thrive…