A Note on Verbal Reinforcement Combinations

Abstract

The hypothesis that “right” is weaker as a positive reinforcer than “wrong” as a negative reinforcer can be dismissed on logical grounds for the kind of task in which it originated. Both actual and hypotheicai data indicate that the characteristic difference between trials to criterion in rn (“right” for correct choices, nothing said after incorrect choices) and nw combinations (nothing for correct choices, “wrong” for incorrect choices) is produced by the nothings, not by the “rights” and “wrongs.”