Bribery VS Reinforcement

While coaching parents or teachers on how to deal with a difficult behavior I have suggested using some sort of reward system.  Often I have been asked, "But isn't that bribery?"  So, today I am going to talk about the difference between bribery and reinforcement. 

So lets look at some official definitions of bribery.

Persuade (someone) to act in one’s favor, typically illegally or dishonestly, by a gift of money or other inducement - Oxford Dictionary

Money or favor given or promised in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust  - Merriam Webster

Money or a present that you give to someone so that they will do something for you, usually something dishonest: Cambridge Dictionary

So are you trying to get your child to do something wrong? If not, then you are not bribing your child.  You are trying to reinforce a positive behavior.  Another way to think about it is going to work.  If you were not getting paid to do your job, would you go to work?  Your boss pays you to reinforce your desire to work for him.  

So now lets look at official definitions of reinforcement.

The action or process of reinforcing or strengthening. - Oxford Dictionary  

 The action of reinforcing : the state of being reinforced - Merriam Webster

The act of making something stronger - Cambridge Dictionary

Doesn't that sound more like what you want to do with positive behaviors?  There is such a thing as over doing reinforcement, but I will cover how to properly reinforce in a later post.  But for now, next time you are reinforcing a positive behavior and someone asks you "but isn't that bribery?" you explain the difference!