Psychology and Education

Matthew Lynch published in Parental Involvement, Parenting, Psychology and Education

A Guide to Negative Reinforcement

There are four types of operant conditioning identified by B.F. Skinner: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment. Both types of reinforcement have the goal of increasing the desired behavior, while both types of punishment aim to diminish certain behaviors.

In this article, we will focus on negative reinforcement.

Negative reinforcement has the same goal as positive reinforcement, which is to increase a specific behavior. Whereas positive reinforcements use rewards and tokens to encourage the repetition of a behavior, negative reinforcement has to do with the removal of unpleasant stimuli.

An Example

A young boy always leaves his dirty clothes on the floor as soon as he changes out of them after coming home from school. Parents nag their child to put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket immediately after changing clothes. Every time the child forgets to put his clothes away, he gets nagged. To avoid getting nagged again, the child will put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket. Time will come when this will become a habit. The child will no longer have to be nagged just so he can remember to put his dirty clothes away.

In this example, the unpleasant stimuli is the parents’ nagging, while the desired behavior is putting dirty clothes in the laundry basket.

Negative reinforcement is not punishment

People often get these two mixed up, but it’s understandable because of the connotation of the words “negative” and “punishment.”

When talking about “negative” and “positive” in the context of reinforcement and punishment, negative refers to taking something away while positive refers to adding something (a reward, a token, etc.).

Conclusion

Negative reinforcement can be an effective way to increase or encourage behaviors. Consistency and timing of applying the reinforcement are key to seeing the repetition or increase of a behavior. Deliver negative reinforcement as soon as you observe the child perform the behavior you want to increase. Most people gravitate toward positive reinforcement because it explicitly rewards the child for good behavior; however, the proper use of negative reinforcement can be just as effective. It is up to you, the adult, to determine which one to use. 

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Matthew Lynch published in Child Development, Critical Thinking and Creativity, Early Childhood, K-12, Parental Involvement,

How to Teach Kids with Interpersonal Intelligence

When we talk about “intelligence” most of the time, we think about kids and adults who spend a lot of time in lecture halls and libraries quietly studying. Over the years, the concept of intelligence has evolved. 

Developmental psychologist Howard Gardner came up with the concept of multiple intelligences, which challenges the traditional notion of intelligence (IQ) as a singular ability. One of the eight intelligences that Gardner presented is “interpersonal intelligence” – the ability to communicate and interact effectively with others. People who have high interpersonal intelligence are known to be excellent communicators. His theory was explained in his book “Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences.”

The Gift and Skill of Relating to Others

Having interpersonal intelligence is both a gift and a skill. Some have this natural talent for communicating, but those who do not have a natural talent can learn it. Those who have this gift can pick up on other people’s moods, temperaments, and motivations without the other person saying it.

Gardner presented Anne Sullivan as a good example of a person with high interpersonal intelligence. Anne Sullivan, who had little formal training in special education and was partially blind, taught a young Helen Keller. Helen Keller was a disabled child who lost her sense of sight and hearing at just nine months old. Anne Sullivan gave Helen Keller the tools she needed to overcome her disabilities so she could succeed later on in life. Helen Keller became a lecturer and disability rights activist as an adult.

In this example, you can see how Anne Sullivan was able to use her strengths to help Helen Keller. Despite her limitations, she was able to build a strong lifelong relationship with Helen Keller. In the end, they helped each other realize their full potential and overcome disability.

People with Interpersonal Intelligence

Other well-known people who have high interpersonal intelligence include Mother Teresa, Bill Gates, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Oprah Winfrey. They are known to have the ability to communicate and connect with people—one can say that they are quite influential.

Those who have high interpersonal intelligence might have potential in the field of teaching, counseling, sales, and public speaking. Their common characteristics include being adaptive and having the ability to think out of the box. They can come up with solutions that are creative and innovative.  

It’s a common misconception that all interpersonally intelligent people are outgoing, gregarious social butterflies. However, shy, introverted people can have this ability; after all, it’s all about communicating effectively and forming connections with people. 

Building on the Gift of Interpersonal Intelligence in the Classroom

Interpersonal skills can be taught in the classroom by giving peer-to-peer work, group tasks, and requiring students to deliver presentations. Tasks like these encourage students to work in teams—share ideas, delegate tasks, negotiate which parts of working on.

To help students develop interpersonal intelligence, they can be encouraged to head class meetings, organize small and big group activities, and even become student leaders. Pair a student with high interpersonal intelligence with shy and introverted classmates.

Those who are perceived to be high in interpersonal intelligence can benefit from being allowed to participate in as many activities as their current workload. They can model these skills to their classmates so that others will be encouraged to engage with others. 

Summary It would be great if parents and teachers could identify the type of intelligence that their child possesses. Knowing that will help the adult identify the strengths and areas for improvement of each student. Interpersonal intelligence is a natural ability, but it can also be learned. Incorporate some of the strategies suggested in the previous section to strengthen this ability.

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Matthew Lynch published in Modern Parenting, Parental Involvement, Parenting, Psychology and Education

10 Disturbing Facts About Teen Dating Violence

According to Choose Respect (a national initiative), some dating patterns start early in life that cause violence throughout a person’s lifetime. This initiative aims to help youngsters in the age group of 11-14 years to keep away from abusive relationships.

Parents, teachers, and students in the US should be aware of the prevailing dating violence among teenagers in the nation. Based on the information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in eleven adolescents suffers from physical violence related to dating. The number of victims might be even more because most youngsters and adults prefer not to reveal their involvement in an abusive relationship. Besides this, some young people do not know what abuse is. If they are aware of the signs of abuse, they can avoid partners who mistreat them emotionally or physically.

Facts About Dating Violence Encountered by the Youth

The information provided by the Choose Respect initiative can enable the teenagers to understand the patterns of abusive relationships. In case they have encountered abuse, they will know that others have experienced the same thing, and it is possible to find someone who will respect them.

  1. Most teen dating violence takes place in the house of one of the dating partners.
  2. About seventy percent of young girls have suffered rape at the hands of someone they know, such as a friend, casual acquaintance, or boyfriend.
  3. About twenty percent of teenage girls said their partner threatened to harm themselves or commit violence if their relationship ended.
  4. About eighty percent of the young women who have been abused physically during dating continue to have a relationship with the abuser.
  5. Eighty percent of teenagers feel that verbal abuse is a severe problem.
  6. One out of three teenagers knows a peer or friend who has encountered violent actions like hitting, kicking, slapping, punching, or choking by their partner.
  7. Fifty-four percent of the students in high school have witnessed dating violence amongst their peers.
  8. About one out of five girls have been abused sexually or physically by their dating partner in high school.
  9. About one out of five adolescents have reported that they have suffered from emotional abuse.
  10. Every year about one out of four teenagers report physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse.

Ways to Combat Dating Violence amongst Teenagers

Teachers, counselors, friends, and parents should be vigilant about it. As soon as they notice any signs of abuse, they can talk to the victim.

Usually, abuse takes place in the houses of adolescents. So parents should watch the interactions of their children with their partners. They can forbid their partners from visiting them when there are no adults to supervise. If their child encounters dating violence, parents can provide therapy for them and inform law enforcement.

Parents’ relationships with their children play a significant role in preparing them for healthy dating partnerships. Youngsters who experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from caregivers, parents, or others might develop trauma. As a result, they may attract dating partners who are not safe. If parents love their children, treat them respectfully, and fulfill their emotional requirements, there will be fewer chances for them to enter into abusive relationships later.

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