A Study of the Behavioral Model of Depression:The Role of Environmental Reinforcement and Punishment on the Self-Reinforcement and Self-Punishment Behaviors

In this study the role of positive environmental reinforcement and aversive events on self control behaviors were studied. According to previous behavioral findings it was predicted that environmental reinforcement and punishment would have some effects on self-reinforcement and self-punishment behaviors. Two hypotheses were advanced. For the purpose of testing these hypotheses 60 subjects were selected and randomly divided into three groups, and in another step of randomization each of the groups was randomly assigned to one of the experimental conditions. Overall, the findings confirmed each of the two hypotheses. Theoretical and empirical implications of results were discussed in detail in the discussion section.