FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What is the definition of positive reinforcement?

1. Removing negative stimuli to decrease behavior

2. Adding a stimulus to increase desired behavior

3. Ignoring all types of behavior for best results

4. Punishing undesirable actions in children

The correct answer is: Adding a stimulus to increase desired behavior

The definition of positive reinforcement is accurately captured by the idea of adding a stimulus to increase desired behavior. This concept is grounded in behaviorist psychology, where positive reinforcement involves presenting a rewarding stimulus following a particular behavior, which increases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future. For example, if a teacher acknowledges a student’s good homework with praise or a small reward, the student is more likely to continue completing homework to receive that same reinforcement in the future. Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool in educational settings as it encourages students to engage in behaviors that contribute to their learning and development, fostering a positive learning environment. The other options do not align with the definition of positive reinforcement. Removing negative stimuli pertains to negative reinforcement, which is aimed at increasing behavior but through the removal of aversive conditions, rather than the addition of positive stimuli. Ignoring all types of behavior would typically result in behaviors being extinguished, not reinforced, while punishing undesirable actions represents a different approach aimed at decreasing unwanted behavior rather than promoting positive behavior.