Positive and negative have different connotations in different situations. Pregnancy test results or determining if a tumor is benign or cancerous are examples of good news coming from negative results.

In my book I defined what positive and negative reinforcements were, and potential outcomes concerning children. I’ll summarize here then use adults this time for examples. A positive reinforcement is when you accept, approve, or ratify an action. A negative reinforcement is any action that you take to deter an action.

Of course, showing appreciation for workers, giving raises, and applauding good ideas is positive reinforcement for positive behaviors. But there are positive reinforcements for bad or negative behaviors in practice.

In a work environment where there are customers, most places follow the slogan “The customer is always right.” And, of course, there is a hierarchy within an office where upper management or doctors or lawyers are considered to be right. Then there is the separation of classes – lower to upper, where the more money a person has, the more privileged and right that person is. This practice maintains the satisfied customer (most of the time), hierarchy, and status quo. Accepting those positions and the actions of those persons is positive reinforcement. But is this a good practice?

When everyone follows that these people are always right, that is another form of positive reinforcement that has negative connotations. And there are examples of positive reinforcement of negative behaviors that happen more with people in these positions as well as celebrity and sports figures. When any bad behavior conducted by any member of these groups is excused, that is positive reinforcement of bad behavior.

There are always going to be situations where those “in the right” are going to be wrong. For example, not every customer is right, especially when a scam is involved or another customer is disrespected. That customer needs to know that the behavior or action cannot be permitted or tolerated, and protocols need to be in place. If a customer is trying to return stolen merchandise or two customers are fighting over the last item, management and staff should know how to rectify the situation.

If your boss, a doctor, or a lawyer has mistakenly done something that could have repercussions, others should be willing to let them know that a different approach is necessary. And wealth is never a beacon of knowledge – except in the area of that person’s expertise – so their claim about something they know nothing about should not be accepted, and that person should be corrected.

But what about negative reinforcement that produces negative behaviors? Prime examples are profiling and stereotyping, especially in the judicial system and some work environments. The prejudging then passing a sentence or making the choice not to hire based on anything other than a person’s skill or innocence is negative reinforcement.