--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem with negative reinforcement…" description: "\"“The problem with negative reinforcement is that you are essentially programming your student to fail. I wanted to program them to be successful—no mat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abb/brandon-webb-8765_failure_the-problem-with-negative-reinforcement_3007721.jpg" --- # The problem with negative reinforcement is that you are… ![“The problem with negative reinforcement is that you are essentially programming your student to fail. I wanted to program them to be successful—no matter what.” quote by Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abb/brandon-webb-8765_failure_the-problem-with-negative-reinforcement_3007721.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abb/brandon-webb-8765_failure_the-problem-with-negative-reinforcement_3007721.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abb/brandon-webb-8765_failure_the-problem-with-negative-reinforcement_3007721.jpg) > ““The problem with negative reinforcement is that you are essentially programming your student to fail. I wanted to program them to be successful—no matter what.”” [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Negative reinforcement teaches students to anticipate failure, undermining confidence and growth; positive reinforcement fosters success. **In simple terms:** Punishing mistakes leads to failure mindset; encouraging success builds confidence. Key Takeaway Focus on positive reinforcement. Themes education psychology motivation Mood reflective encouraging Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - classroom management - coaching sessions - online tutoring - parental guidance Key Concepts growth mindset behavioral conditioning student engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can you replace criticism with encouragement? - What successes can you celebrate daily? A Different Perspective Positive reinforcement may be harder to implement consistently. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ## Related quotes > [If you're a short-seller, that's a cacophony of negative reinforcement. You're basically told that you're wrong in every way imaginable every day. It takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-chanos/if-you-re-a-short-seller-that-s-a-cacophony-of-negative-reinforcement/) [James Chanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-chanos/) > [I think the negative reinforcement really helped me in my very beginnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-think-the-negative-reinforcement-really-helped-me-in-my-very/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [Positive reinforcement generates more behavior than is minimally required. We call this discretionary effort, and its presence in the workplace is the only way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-daniels/positive-reinforcement-generates-more-behavior-than-is-minimally/) Aubrey Daniels > [Peacekeeping there is still just totally ineffective. The UN is now saying they are sending reinforcements in the area, but I have no particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hamilton/peacekeeping-there-is-still-just-totally-ineffective-the-un-is-now/) [Rebecca Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hamilton/) > [Mom always said people worried too much about their children. Suffering when you're young is good for you, she said. It immunized your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/mom-always-said-people-worried-too-much-about-their-children/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [One of our six key strategic priorities was the reinforcement of all professional staffing and solutions business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-dehaze/one-of-our-six-key-strategic-priorities-was-the-reinforcement-of-all/) [Alain Dehaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-dehaze/) > [“What I mean is something like a closed circuit. Everybody on the same frequency. And after a while you forget about the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/what-i-mean-is-something-like-a-closed-circuit-everybody-on-the-same/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [Fussing over children who cry only encourages them. That's positive reinforcement for negative behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/fussing-over-children-who-cry-only-encourages-them-that-s-positive/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [In our view any awareness is an increment to consciousness, an added light, a reinforcement of psychic coherence. Its swiftness or instantaneity can hide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-bachelard/in-our-view-any-awareness-is-an-increment-to-consciousness-an-added/) [Gaston Bachelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-bachelard/) > [It is more important that you should know about the reverses than about the successes of the war. We shall have all eternity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/it-is-more-important-that-you-should-know-about-the-reverses-than/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [I suppose there's something to be said for the sheer reinforcement of our beliefs, but really I think poetry is more useful as disenchantment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/i-suppose-there-s-something-to-be-said-for-the-sheer-reinforcement-of/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [I had a very marginal understanding of what faith in God was growing up because, although I went to a Catholic school, without having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mauceri/i-had-a-very-marginal-understanding-of-what-faith-in-god-was-growing/) [Patricia Mauceri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mauceri/) > [The secret of literature, which conventional people don't guess, is that writers are forever looking for the surprising revelation - not for reinforcement of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-bly/the-secret-of-literature-which-conventional-people-don-t-guess-is/) [Carol Bly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-bly/) > [Instead of yelling and spanking, which dont work anyway, I believe in finding creative ways to keep their attention - turning things into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-richardson/instead-of-yelling-and-spanking-which-dont-work-anyway-i-believe-in/) [Patricia Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-richardson/) > [Never mind the odds against you. If you doubled your effort, what would the odds against you do — send for reinforcements?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/never-mind-the-odds-against-you-if-you-doubled-your-effort-what-would/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) ## More by Brandon Webb > [I didn't grow up hunting whitetail, but I would stalk tuna and white sea bass and yellowtail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/i-didn-t-grow-up-hunting-whitetail-but-i-would-stalk-tuna-and-white/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [My big problem with Hillary and the Department of State where Benghazi is concerned is there is just no accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/my-big-problem-with-hillary-and-the-department-of-state-where/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [World records aren't broken in practice, and competitive environments and adversity are the birthplace of champions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/world-records-aren-t-broken-in-practice-and-competitive-environments/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [“Conventional wisdom is not always wrong—but it’s always suspect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/conventional-wisdom-is-not-always-wrong-but-it-s-always-suspect/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [The Special Ops community has always been about mental toughness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/the-special-ops-community-has-always-been-about-mental-toughness/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [Ever since wars have been fought, guys have been writing their stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/ever-since-wars-have-been-fought-guys-have-been-writing-their-stories/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [Chris Kyle was a human being, a Texan, Navy SEAL, father, husband, brother, friends to many, and a hero to many; this, at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/chris-kyle-was-a-human-being-a-texan-navy-seal-father-husband-brother/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [It's important for Americans to know what the guys fighting the wars have been experiencing, not just from the perspective of a talking-head politician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/it-s-important-for-americans-to-know-what-the-guys-fighting-the-wars/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [Whether you have incredible products like at Apple or a great service business, it all comes down to fundamental trust and relationship-building with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/whether-you-have-incredible-products-like-at-apple-or-a-great-service/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [Small unit autonomy, breaking the right rules, cultural influence, and relationship building has always been the heart Special Operations. Something must be done to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/small-unit-autonomy-breaking-the-right-rules-cultural-influence-and/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [I'm real careful doing public appearances because look at what happened to my friend Chris Kyle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/i-m-real-careful-doing-public-appearances-because-look-at-what/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [“The B-52 was flying so high it was invisible to us, but I knew exactly what was happening up there: They were dropping the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/the-b-52-was-flying-so-high-it-was-invisible-to-us-but-i-knew-exactly/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [I am proud to be a SEAL and serve in the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/i-am-proud-to-be-a-seal-and-serve-in-the-military/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [The guys who don't make it through SEAL training are the Rambo wannabes. If you cannot work in a team format but also function…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/the-guys-who-don-t-make-it-through-seal-training-are-the-rambo/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [Three days doesn't sound like a very long time, and under normal, everyday circumstances, it's not - but under POW camp conditions, it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/three-days-doesn-t-sound-like-a-very-long-time-and-under-normal/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) [Explore all 78 Brandon Webb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The problem with negative reinforcement is that you are essentially programming your student to fail. 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