Positive and Negative Punishment
Positive Punishment
Positive (active) punishment occurs when the supervisor actively expresses disapproval (e.g., irritation, yelling, reprimanding) of an undesired behavior. The supervisor applies an unpleasant consequence to stop or decrease the undesired behavior.
For instance, a supervisor might scold a worker who is engaging in horseplay. The supervisor's active response is a positive punishment because the supervisor actively responds by yelling to stop the worker from engaging in horseplay.
Negative Punishment
Negative (passive) punishment occurs when the supervisor withholds a pleasant consequence for a worker's behavior or performance until it achieves the desired results. For instance, the supervisor withholds bonuses if workers do not achieve certain standards of behavior or performance.
Why Recognition Programs Fail
Both positive reinforcement (approval) and negative punishment (withholding approval) occur in safety recognition programs that reward one employee for being first, best, or most improved. At the same time the one winner receives positive reinforcement, everyone else receives negative punishment because they are, in fact, thought to be losers. Everyone may have performed quite well, but since they were not the best, positive recognition is withheld. The result is one winner and many losers.
Recognition programs that reward only the best performer can actually demotivate most workers. This form of negative punishment is one of the primary reasons safety recognition programs do not work. Recognition programs should be criterion-based - everyone meeting the program criteria is recognized. The goal is to have many winners who all meet or exceed management expectations.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-9. Safety program recognition policies should be based on _____.
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