by Dr. Deborah Bauers

Created on: August 10, 2008   Last Updated: March 15, 2010

Immediate reward for appropriate behavior in early childhood reinforces good conduct and contributes significantly to a preschooler's emotional and cognitive development. A child's earliest lessons about good behavior begin as he watches the activities of adults around him and then mimics what he sees. By receiving positive reinforcement for his efforts, he develops a sense of competency and is more likely to show initiative as he begins to work toward the following three developmental milestones.

1.Developing an internal locus of control; the ability to motivate himself toward future developmental tasks.

2. Gaining the confidence to venture further into the world around him because he has received encouragement for his prior efforts.

3.Building a strong sense of autonomy that is a result of the cumulative successes in learning how to exist apart from caregivers and parents.

In contrast, if a preschooler immediately receives mostly negative reinforcement in the form of "don'ts" and "no-no's" he becomes fearful of trying new things and reticent to model the behaviors of others. Without immediate affirmation, he lacks the empowerment to explore new behaviors and becomes withdrawn and anxious. With a lack of positive reinforcement he will likely fail to achieve the same three developmental milestones. Instead, he his responses will look like these:

1. He will lack an internal locus of control and because of fear, will be unable to motivate himself toward future developmental tasks.

2. Because of lack of self confidence, he will hesitate to venture further into the world and will exhibit signs of insecurity and anxiety.

3. Discouraged because of the lack of immediate positive reinforcements, he will struggle with extreme levels of separation anxiety and will lack a sense of who he is apart from his parents or caregivers.

A small child who receives immediate praise and affirmation for his accomplishments not only feels good about himself but also feels successful at forging connections with those who engage him. He experiences acceptance by caregivers and peers when immediate rewards are given in the midst of positive interaction.

The best forms of immediate reward are those that positively impact a child's sense of self. Tangible rewards, such as toys or candy, should be used sparingly since the small child will focus his delight upon the item and miss the significance of why he has received it. Preschoolers often enjoy stickers and stars but these rewards

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