Some of the most common tools parents and teachers use for managing children’s behaviors are rewards and punishments. While these methods tend to lose effectiveness as a child ages, there are times ...

Negative reinforcement has a bad reputation. Here’s what it really means, and why it can be surprisingly helpful.

Let’s start with some definitions. What is punishment? Punishment is used to stop an unwanted behavior. It can be classified in positive and negative. We are easily confused by these adjectives, ...

Operant conditioning is a theory that explains how behaviors are influenced by their consequences or results. It’s often used today to help people adopt new behaviors or change old habits. If you’ve ...

Three years ago, Valli Fraser-Celin adopted a blond husky-mix puppy, whom she named Husk. Fraser-Celin soon started looking for ways to curb Husk’s “totally wild” behavior, she says, such as stealing ...

In October 2020, Petco announced it had stopped selling shock collars online and in all of their stores. The major retailer had conducted a survey that found that after witnessing what happened to ...