Reinforcement theory is a theory put forward by American psychologists and behavioral scientists such as Skinner, Hersey and blanchard. Also known as behavior modification theory or behavior modification theory. Skinner received a doctorate in psychology from Harvard University on 193 1, and returned to teach at Harvard University on 1943 until 1975 retired. 1968 won the national medal of science award, the second psychologist to win the medal. Skinner believes that people have no dignity and freedom. Whether a person does or does not do a certain behavior depends only on one influencing factor, that is, the consequences of the behavior. He put forward a theory of "operant conditioning", which holds that people or animals will take certain actions to act on the environment in order to achieve a certain goal. When the consequences of this behavior are beneficial to him, this behavior will be repeated in the future; When it is unfavorable, this behavior will weaken or disappear. People can use this positive or negative reinforcement method to influence the consequences of behavior and correct their own behavior.

Pavlov, a famous Russian physiologist, first put forward the concept of reinforcement. In Pavlov's classical conditioned reflex, reinforcement refers to the presentation of unconditional stimulus after conditioned stimulus, which is a pre-behavioral, natural, passive and specific process. In Skinner's conditioned reflex, reinforcement is a kind of artificial manipulation, which refers to the process of reward and punishment accompanying behavior to help it reappear.

Pavlov's subjects' behavior is a response caused by stimulus and is called "responder". Skinner's research object's behavior is emitted by the organism, which is called "operational". Classical conditioning can only be used to explain learning based on reactive behavior, which Skinner called "S-type conditioning". Another learning mode, that is, operational or instrumental conditioning mode, can be used to explain learning based on operational behavior, which is called "R (reinforcement) conditioning" and "S-R" psychological theory.

This theoretical point of view advocates that incentives should be targeted, and only look at the relationship between employee behavior and results, without highlighting the content and process of incentives. The theory holds that people's behavior is a function of the stimulus they get. If the stimulus is good for him, this kind of behavior will be repeated, if it is bad for him, this kind of behavior will weaken until it disappears.