Deutsch: Generalisiertes Bestrafungsmittel / Español: Castigador Generalizado / Português: Punidor Generalizado / Français: Punitif Généralisé / Italiano: Punitore Generalizzato /
Generalized punisher is defined as an event that has become punishing because it has in the past been associated with many other punishers. Generalized punisher is a type of secondary reinforcer that has been associated with several other reinforcers.
In psychology, a punisher refers to any stimulus or event that, when presented after a behavior, decreases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future. Generalized punishers are those that are effective in suppressing a wide range of behaviors and are not specific to any particular behavior.
A generalized punisher can be a verbal reprimand, social disapproval, or any other negative consequence that is associated with multiple types of behavior. For example, if a child is scolded for misbehaving in school, this may decrease not only the likelihood of the misbehavior occurring again but also other types of misbehavior, such as being disrespectful to adults or disrupting class.
Another example of a generalized punisher is a time-out. When a child is sent to a designated area for a specified period of time, this can serve as a punishment for a variety of different behaviors, such as hitting, kicking, or throwing objects. The time-out is not specific to any one behavior, but rather is a consequence that can be used for a range of misbehaviors.
Similar to generalized punishers are generalized reinforcers, which are stimuli or events that increase the likelihood of a wide range of behaviors. Examples of generalized reinforcers include money, praise, and attention. These reinforcers can be used to encourage a variety of behaviors, rather than being specific to any one behavior.
Another concept related to generalized punishers is the concept of punishment generalization. This refers to the idea that the effects of punishment can spread to other behaviors that are similar to the behavior that was punished. For example, if a child is punished for hitting his sibling, this may decrease the likelihood of him hitting other children as well.
In summary, a generalized punisher is a consequence that can decrease the likelihood of a wide range of behaviors, rather than being specific to any one behavior. Examples of generalized punishers include verbal reprimands, social disapproval, and time-outs. Generalized reinforcers, on the other hand, increase the likelihood of a wide range of behaviors and include stimuli such as money, praise, and attention. Punishment generalization refers to the idea that the effects of punishment can spread to other behaviors that are similar to the behavior that was punished.