The effect of non-contingent negative and positive reinforcement operations on the acquisition of superstitious behaviors.

The differential effects of non-contingent positive and negative reinforcement operations on the acquisition of superstitious behaviors and rules were investigated in two experiments. College students were instructed to try to produce and/or keep the word "GOOD" on a computer screen (positive reinforcement), or to try to prevent and/or remove the word "BAD" from the screen (negative reinforcement) using response keys. Data from both experiments indicated that participants exposed to lean schedules of negative reinforcers believed that they had greater control over non-contingent stimulus events than participants exposed to either rich or lean schedules of positive reinforcers. These findings and results from research investigating everyday superstitious activities suggest that, relative to positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement operations may provide a more fertile condition for the development and maintenance of superstitious behaviors.