<p>Yes.</p>

<p>In fact, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755378/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the modern view</a> of positive and negative reinforcement is that they are essentially synonyms. They are different ways of looking at the same thing, like describing a glass of water based on how full or how empty it is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In this paper, we reconsider the issue from the perspective of 30
  years. However, we could not find new evidence in contemporary
  research and theory that allows reliable classification of an event as
  a positive rather than a negative reinforcer.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinforcement#Further_ideas_and_concepts" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wikipedia</a> as well:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Distinguishing between positive and negative can be difficult and may
  not always be necessary; focusing on what is being removed or added
  and how it is being removed or added will determine the nature of the
  reinforcement.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-25T17:26:29.927Z
2018-10-25T17:26:29.927Z
Arnon Weinberg
<p>Consider the following scenario: a rhesus monkey is being put under severe duress somehow (isolation, sense of physical threat, whathaveyou). It is desired that a behavior, like pressing a lever, is increased. Let's say administration of a CNS depressant as a reward is used to try to get this outcome. This could possibly be seen as positive reinforcement (due to euphoriant effects in themselves) <em>and</em> as negative reinforcement (because stress is being taken away). Is it possible to model both sides of this picture and is this done in practice?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-25T12:29:01.743Z
Welcome to Psychology.SE. Please feel free to take the [tour] and read the [help]. What you have read on this subject, what made you ask this question, and are there any problems you are having understanding your research. If you found nothing, what did you Google?
Chris Rogers
<behaviorism><conditioning>
Is it possible to effect both positive and negative reinforcement through the same action?
readyready15728
# Is it possible to effect both positive and negative reinforcement through the same action?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-10-25)

Consider the following scenario: a rhesus monkey is being put under severe duress somehow (isolation, sense of physical threat, whathaveyou). It is desired that a behavior, like pressing a lever, is increased. Let's say administration of a CNS depressant as a reward is used to try to get this outcome. This could possibly be seen as positive reinforcement (due to euphoriant effects in themselves) *and* as negative reinforcement (because stress is being taken away). Is it possible to model both sides of this picture and is this done in practice?

**Tags:** behaviorism, conditioning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to Psychology.SE. Please feel free to take the [tour] and read the [help]. What you have read on this subject, what made you ask this question, and are there any problems you are having understanding your research. If you found nothing, what did you Google?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-10-25. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Yes.

In fact, [the modern view](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755378/) of positive and negative reinforcement is that they are essentially synonyms. They are different ways of looking at the same thing, like describing a glass of water based on how full or how empty it is:

> In this paper, we reconsider the issue from the perspective of 30
> years. However, we could not find new evidence in contemporary
> research and theory that allows reliable classification of an event as
> a positive rather than a negative reinforcer.

[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinforcement#Further_ideas_and_concepts) as well:

> Distinguishing between positive and negative can be difficult and may
> not always be necessary; focusing on what is being removed or added
> and how it is being removed or added will determine the nature of the
> reinforcement.


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