A type of conditioned punisher that has been paired with many unconditioned and conditioned punishers.

Hint: The thing about a frown is that it’s been paired with a lot of bad stuff. That’s what makes it generalized, its association with an unlimited number of other punishers.

Examples: Frowns, pouts, head shakes, finger wags.

5th Edition Task List

B-8  Define and provide examples of unconditioned, conditioned, and generalized reinforcers and punishers.

6th Edition TCO

B.8 Identify and distinguish among unconditioned, conditioned, and generalized punishers.

Related Content

Unconditioned punisher

A stimulus change that decreases the frequency of any behavior immediately preceding it regardless of the organism’s learning history with that stimulus.

Conditioned punisher

A previously neutral stimulus that now functions as a punisher because of prior pairing with one or more other punishing stimuli.

Unconditioned reinforcer

A stimulus change that can increase the future frequency of behavior without any learning history or prior pairing with any other form of reinforcement.

Generalized conditioned reinforcer (GCSR)

A type of conditioned reinforcer that has been paired with many unconditioned and conditioned reinforcers.

Conditioned reinforcer

A previously neutral stimulus that acquires the ability to function as a reinforcer through a stimulus-stimulus pairing with one or more unconditioned or conditioned reinforcers.