Relative effects of reinforcement and punishment on human choice

ABSTRACT An experiment with humans was conducted to assess the relative effects of reinforcement and punishment on choice. Point gains and losses were programmed as reinforcers and punishers, respectively. Participants used a mouse to click two buttons on a computer screen while the ratio of point gains was varied according to a concurrent variable-interval schedule. Responding was sensitive to relative point gains in baselines. When a schedule of point loss was superimposed on one button, relative to baseline, bias away from the point-loss button was observed, indicating the punishment effects of losses. Finally, a schedule arranging equal rates of both point gains and losses was superimposed on one button. One participant showed no change in bias and two showed shifts in bias away from the alternative with the superimposed schedule relative to baseline. These results suggest that punishment effects are at least equal and sometimes greater than reinforcement effects..