In the opening scene of the 1984 film Ghostbusters, Bill Murray’s character, Dr. Peter Venkman, famously claims to be studying the effect of “negative reinforcement on ESP ability”!
When you listen to such technical and supposedly scientific terminology in a movie you would get up and notice!
Then again like all movies who get the medical and scientific terminology wrong even this was completely wrong for a scientist but for a layman it was alright!
In fact this scene has been used to actually reitirate the proper terminology even in science themed shows like big bang theory!
The proper terminology which should have been used must be Positive Punishment and Not Negative Reinforcement.
Venkman is shown administering electric shocks to a male student whenever the student guesses a card incorrectly.
In behavioral psychology, adding an unpleasant stimulus (the shock) to decrease a behavior (incorrect guesses) is defined as positive punishment.
While the male student is repeatedly shocked, the female student, Jennifer, is given positive reinforcement in the form of praise and “warm” encouragement—even when she guesses incorrectly! Venkman clearly ignores his own “experiment” to flirt with her.
True negative reinforcement involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase a desired behavior (e.g., stopping a loud noise when a subject performs a task).
So positive Punishment decreases behavior by adding or removing stimuli, whereas negative reinforcement increases behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus.
Punishment (e.g., fines, time-outs) penalizes unwanted actions to stop them, while negative reinforcement (e.g., seatbelt alarms, reducing chores) strengthens desirable actions to avoid unpleasantness.
Punishment aims to decrease a behavior. Negative reinforcement aims to increase a behavior.
Punishment thus leads to the cessation of a behavior. Negative reinforcement leads to the repetition of a behavior.
Now using these terminologies one fine day we can also revaluate what one country is doing to another country because a third country is attacking it!
Whether it is positive punishment or negative reinforcement a simply INSANITY!
Then again no terminology can ever justify war!
War though reminds me of the movie border! The first one we watched just one day before a major exam! It was worth it!
Akshay Khanna has matured from that one to the latest blockbuster!
Praying for peace …
Subh ratri….
ramadocblog 