117 Introduction to Safety Recognition

Operant Conditioning

Negative Reinforcement

Negative reinforcement, when effective, increases the frequency of desired behaviors by withholding perceived negative consequences. Workers think that if they do something the employer wants, they will avoid negative consequences.

If managers want safe behaviors, negative reinforcement will be less effective because workers are generally only trying to do what is necessary just to stay out of trouble. Important criteria of negative reinforcement include:

• Workers perform only to avoid the perceived negative consequence - nothing else.
• The desired behavior may actually be safe or unsafe.
• The intent is to increase desired behaviors by withholding an unwanted consequence.
• Workers perform to minimum standard but not beyond: just enough to stay out of trouble.
• The focus is on compliance, not excellence. - it's a fear-based strategy.
• This strategy is less effective if the goal is to achieve a world-class safety culture.

Once again, the outcome is dependent on the behaviors that the employer actually wants. Hopefully, the employer prioritizes safety, but that's not always the case. Here are some examples that show how perceived negative reinforcement can increase both safe and unsafe behaviors:

• Negative reinforcement of a safe behavior: Comply with our safety rules, or else.
• Negative reinforcement of an unsafe behavior: If you take safety shortcuts to get work done ahead of schedule, and your supervisor does not get upset.

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