Glossary // Glossary term Theoretical
Negative reinforcement
In learning theory, the strengthening of a behaviour because it removes or reduces an aversive state; it is not the same as punishment. Relief that follows an activity makes that activity more likely to be repeated in similar circumstances, whether or not it changes the source of the aversive state. This mechanism explains how a strategy can feel effective and become habitual while the underlying difficulty persists. Why a restorative experience can leave the underlying difficulty unchanged: negative reinforcement, experiential avoidance, acute mood effects of exercise, rumination and the peak-end rule. Relief reinforces whatever produced it, and memory overweights peaks and endings. A short, honest review after a cathartic experience separates relief from resolution and prevents escape from becoming a habit. The works the definition rests on, with the level of evidence each was appraised at. (1996). Experiential avoidance and behavioral disorders: A functional dimensional approach to diagnosis and treatment. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.64.6.1152 Supports the claim that experiential avoidance was proposed as a process common to many psychological difficulties. A theoretical argument drawing on diverse research, not a direct test.Where the site uses it
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