How does positive reinforcement work?

Positive reinforcement works by adding a stimulus that increases the likelihood of a desired behavior being repeated in the future. This principle is based on the behaviorist theory, where rewards are used to strengthen the connection between behavior and positive outcomes.

For example, if a student receives praise or a reward for completing their homework, they are more likely to continue this behavior because it is associated with a positive consequence. The key element here is the addition of a favorable stimulus following the behavior, which encourages its repetition.

In contrast, other options focus on different mechanisms—removing an unpleasant stimulus pertains to negative reinforcement, applying punishment is related to decreasing undesirable behavior, and ignoring a behavior does not provide any reinforcement or consequence that would influence future actions. These distinctions are important in understanding how different behavioral techniques operate within the realm of psychology.