Reinforcement sensitivity theory

Reinforcement sensitivity theory is a way of thinking about why people act the way they do. It suggests that some people act in certain ways because they are sensitive to different kinds of rewards, or positives, and punishments, or negatives. For example, if someone is more sensitive to rewards they might try hard to do something because they will get something good in return. Meanwhile, if someone is more sensitive to punishments they might avoid doing something because they don’t want to get in trouble. Reinforcement sensitivity theory can help explain why some people act differently, and it can help people think about ways to motivate each other in positive ways.