Outline of a Theory of Punishment
Abstract
In the revised suppression theory outlined in this paper, the primary mechanism of punishment is not a competition of responses but rather a competition of motives. The principal assumptions are, (1) that maintenance of non-reflex behavior involves the summation of discriminative stimuli with the input of amplifier or, facilitative, elements from drive sources, and (2) that the activation of negative drive systems by pain or the anticipation of pain reciprocably inhibits amplifier elements from positive drive sources. The revised theory accounts for the classical parametric relationships of punishment studies, including effects of delay, intensity, and amount of previous training of the punished response, the differences between response contingent and noncontingent punishment, and the attenuation of punishment by adaptation to stimuli and the absence of opportunity for responding. Also, detailed predictions are derivable regarding the course of recovery from punishment following different types of training, including specifications of conditions under which compensatory recovery may be expected.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0662395
Entities
People
- W. K. Estes
Organizations
- Stanford University