Research tends to suggest that positive reinforcement is generally more effective than negative reinforcement in gaining a change in behaviour in the long term, as with negative reinforcement the desired change often occurs only as long as there is a threat of punishment.
Utafiti inaelekea zinaonyesha kwamba kuimarisha chanya kwa ujumla ni ufanisi zaidi kuliko kuimarisha hasi katika kupata mabadiliko katika tabia kwa muda mrefu, kama na kuimarisha hasi mabadiliko yanayotakiwa mara nyingi hutokea tu kwa muda mrefu kama kuna tishio la adhabu.