välisreinforseerimise

Välisreinforseerimine, commonly translated as external reinforcement, refers to the process of using rewards or punishments originating from outside an individual to influence their behavior. This concept is a cornerstone of behavioral psychology, particularly within operant conditioning. External reinforcers can be tangible, such as money or praise, or intangible, like social approval or a sense of accomplishment. The effect of an external reinforcer depends on its contingency with the behavior, meaning how consistently and immediately it follows the desired or undesired action.

Positive external reinforcement involves presenting a desirable stimulus after a behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior recurring. For example, a child receiving a sticker for completing their homework is a form of positive reinforcement. Negative external reinforcement, conversely, involves removing an aversive stimulus after a behavior, which also increases the behavior's frequency. An example would be a student studying diligently to avoid failing a test.

External punishment, a related concept, aims to decrease the frequency of a behavior. Positive punishment involves adding an unpleasant consequence, such as scolding a pet for misbehaving. Negative punishment involves removing a desirable stimulus, like taking away a toy from a child who has misbehaved. While effective in the short term, reliance on external reinforcement can sometimes lead to a decrease in intrinsic motivation, where individuals perform actions for their own sake rather than for the external reward. The ultimate goal in many behavioral interventions is to foster self-reinforcing behaviors or intrinsic motivation.