XXIII.++Reward+&+Punishment

 XXIII. Identify and evaluate the implementation of reward and punishment.

Rewards and punishments are both techniques to be used when either encouraging or discouraging behaviors. A reward is "any consequence that increases the likelihood that a particular behavior will be repeated" (400). For example, when training animals giving a dog with a treat when she obeys the command to "sit" is rewarding the behavior. A punishment in contrast is "the administration of an aversive stimulus or the withdrawal of something desirable, each of which decreases the likelihood a particular behavior will be repeated" (400). An example here would be a child being grounded from playing outside as a result of disobedience. The ability to play outside is being taken away in the hopes of deterring disobedience in the future.

There are a few key examples of reward and punishment throughout the film. The first and most interesting example begins is at the very start of the film when Savage first arrives at the base and meets Sergeant McIllhenny at his desk improperly dressed. He immediately demotes Sergeant McIllhenny to Private. Later on he meets him again as Private McIllhenny has been assigned as his driver. He is dressed impecably and for that, Savage rewards him by giving his stripes back. When the two meet again, Sergeant McIllhenny is once again demoted to Private as Savage finds out he stowed away on a mission. Later, his stripes are returned once again as Savage learns McIllhenny was responsible for shooting down a number of enemy aircraft. This is such an interesting sequence of punishment and reward as Savage appears to follow every punishment with the immediate reward once the behavior is improved. Not only did he change the behavior of Sergeant McIllhenny but he also built a relationship at the same time, thus increasing the trust between the two. Sergeant McIllhenny could be sure that a rewards would follow once he obeyed orders or performed the correct behavior.

The next notable reward and punishment example is between Savage and Gately. Savage punishes Gately by taking away his high position and demoting him to air craft commander. As if that was not enough, he assigns him to command the Leper Colony comprised of the most lazy and under performing men of the group. On a mission, the Leper Colony is lost and Gately is injured. Instead of using his injury as an excuse to not fly, he braves the pain and Savage takes note rewarding him with kind words at his bedside. He is also relieved as aircraft commander of the Leper Colony as it is destroyed in a crash and is no longer needed as the entire bomb group begins performing very well.

Another less prominent example of reward and punishment is when Savage closes the bar on base down indefinitely. This punishment appears to be an effort to change the tide in the group. He later reopens it once he feels the men have earned the reward.