Skinner's experiment!

The Rat Experiment

A hungry rat is placed in a semi-soundproof box. For several days bits of food are occasionally delivered into a tray by an automatic dispenser. The rat soon goes to the tray immediately upon hearing the sound of the dispenser. A small horizontal section of a lever located on the wall has been resting in its lowest position, but it is now raised slightly so that when the rat touches it, it moves down. When doing so, it closes an electric circuit and operates the food dispenser. Immediately after eating the food that was delivered, the rat begins to press the lever fairly rapidly. The behavior has been strengthened or reinforced by a single consequence.

Reinforcers may be positive or negative. A positive reinforcer reinforces when it is presented and a negative when it is withdrawn. Reinforcers always strengthen or increase the probability that a certain action is repeated, that is what "reinforced" means. Punishment is used to suppress a certain behavior. It consists of removing a positive reinforcer ( negative punishment ) or presenting something “bad” for the person. Generally, the punished person then acts in ways which reduce the threat of a second punishment since they stop the punished action so they do not suffer the punishment again.