If I touch a hot stove and feel a painful burn, that's positive punishment. What may sound like an oxymoron is yet another way we learn.
I explored the world of reinforcement a few months ago: both positive and negative reinforcement increase a target behavior.
On the flip side, punishment decreases a behavior. In the behavior dictionary, "positive" does not necessarily mean something good. "Positive" here indicates an addition. When I touched the stove, a burn was added as a consequence. I would be less likely to touch the stove again in order to avoid that pain.
Positive punishment can be common in our lives. We yell at a dog when he chews on the couch. We give a child extra chores if she talks back. While these consequences may decrease couch-chewing or talking back, punishment involves something the learner dislikes. That unpleasantness can start to break down our relationships. The dog might be fearful and the child could harbor resentment. That's one reason good trainers - and people that build healthy relationships - avoid relying on punishment.
Though not a perfect way to alter behaviors, punishment can be very powerful in stopping a behavior immediately. If I see a baby touching an electrical outlet, I might slap his hand away to quickly avoid a dangerous situation.
I tested this technique recently with Carson the Red-tailed Hawk. After a training session, I left her mew door open while I retrieved a cup of food from the hallway outside. I turned my back for just a moment and heard gravel crunch as Carson's feet landed on the ground. She took a hop toward the open door. To stop her, I lunged forward with my arms up and shouted. Adding that sudden movement and loud noise scared Carson and she paused. I froze, too, relieved that I had halted her escape.
But I hesitated too long. She watched me, stunned at first, then looked back at the open doorway. She seized the opportunity to run out to the hallway and hop on a travel perch stored there. I wasn't too concerned since we use a double-door system in case of an event like this. She couldn't leave through the hallway's carefully latched door; the only place to go was back in her mew.
In this case, positive punishment (my shout and sudden movement) was only enough to pause Carson's movements. I could have moved faster, shouted louder, or even grabbed her to stop the behavior more effectively. But those escalating consequences could have stripped away the trust I have built with Carson.
Positive punishment is not our main training tool. I typically make a point to avoid scaring the birds. But it is another option in the training tool belt we can use when necessary.
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