title: Are positive and negative reinforcement "different"? Insights from a free-operant differential outcomes effect.
abstract: Although theoretical discussions typically assume that positive and negative reinforcement differ, the literature contains little unambiguous evidence that they produce differential behavioral effects. To test whether the two types of consequences control behavior differently, we pitted money-gain positive reinforcement and money-loss-avoidance negative reinforcement, scheduled through identically programmed variable-cycle schedules, against each other in concurrent schedules. Contingencies of response-produced feedback, normally different in positive and negative reinforcement, were made symmetrical. Steeper matching slopes were produced compared to a baseline consisting of all positive reinforcement. This free-operant differential outcomes effect supports the notion that that stimulus-presentation positive reinforcement and stimulus-elimination negative reinforcement are functionally "different." However, a control experiment showed that the feedback asymmetry of more traditional positive and negative reinforcement schedules also is sufficient to create a "difference" when the type of consequence is held constant. We offer these findings as a small step in meeting the very large challenge of moving negative reinforcement theory beyond decades of relative quiescence.
authors.affiliation: Auburn University.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Magoon
authors.affiliation: Illinois State University.
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Critchfield
authors.affiliation: Illinois State University.
authors.forename: Dustin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.affiliation: Auburn University.
authors.forename: M Christopher
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Newland
authors.affiliation: Illinois State University.
authors.forename: W Joel
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D006801:Humans; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology
keywords: avoidance; concurrent schedules; differential outcomes effect; negative reinforcement; reinforcement sensitivity