The Strong Economics in Reinforcement

Positive vs. negative reinforcement. which holds more “strength?”

Personally, negative reinforcement can be so defeating. Sure it works great for some things, like the old “don’t put your hand on the stove” when you’re 4 years old, or in my case, “don’t lick the birthday candles when they still have wax running down them…” Completely true and traumatizing story. I never again brought my mouth to fire preemptively. It was a sad day when I crossed ‘Fire Blowing Lady in the circus’ off my Prospective Careers Choices list-did I forget to add that in my ‘Icing at the Top’ blog?

But in all seriousness, I tend to work a lot harder when I feel like I’m doing well at something or receive recognition. When those who don’t work out start exercising they experience both negative and positive reinforcement. The next day they swing their legs to the side of their bed and attempt to stand up like a stiff plank (insert image of Grandpa Joe from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) while pretty much crying as they waddle to the mirror…this is considered Negative Reinforcement. Fire burning muscles are not far from the 4 year old stove story. That thought of “Why on earth would I do this to myself again?” comes into their mind and then they look in the mirror. You know the one, shirt half way up on their body, standing to the side, shoulders back, head cocked…and here is where positive reinforcement comes in. Also sometimes a fist pump or two. 

Speeding when there is no police around is fine and dandy but getting a fine from speeding is not so dandy. So what do we respond better to? Is it personal or universal? I feel Econ 103 creeping up in the back of my brain: Cost vs. Benefit Ratio Curve circa sophomore year of college. Certain weight management programs are funded by negative reinforcement. You’re charged a fine if you don’t lose a pound at each weekly weigh in. These programs have strong reinforcements, unless participants gain lean body mass and tip the scale positively and get charged (negatively) but that’s a whole other blog. 

The idea behind Gym-Pact is to keep members committed to their workouts by charging $10/day for each missed workout planned. This could either be the most expensive gym membership I’ve ever heard of or the cheapest..? When I brought this up to a certain police officer (the dear) his response was “why not give members free work out gear or gym perks for showing up to their scheduled workouts instead?” 

I like this thought of positive reinforcement. When counseling, clients are often happier and more successful when I’m proud of their weight loss accomplishment. But I wonder, when it comes to Gym-Pact, who is profiting more in their scenario: The gym owners or the members? I wonder if the business plan, developed by Harvard grads who were inspired by behavioral economics, is really the business of healthy-committed members or simply business. 
Maybe a certain kind of person does respond better to negative reinforcement or maybe the member who enrolls is taking full advantage of "taking care of business" and changing negativity into positivity-on their own cost vs. benefit ratio curve.