reinforcement

n. act of strengthening, fortification; reward or punishment designed to encourage or discourage a particular response (Psychology); act of reinforcing

In operant conditioning, reinforcement is an increase in the strength of a response following the presentation of a stimulus contingent on that response. Response strength can be assessed by measures such as the frequency with which the response is made (for example, a pigeon may increase the rate at which it pecks a key), or the speed with which it is made (for example, a rat may run a maze faster). The stimulus contingent on a response is called a reinforcer. Reinforcement can only be confirmed retrospectively, as objects, items, food or other potential 'reinforcers' can only be called such by demonstrating increases in behavior after their administration. It is the strength of the response that is reinforced, not the organism.
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Reinforcement /re·in·force·ment/ in behavioral science, the presentation of a stimulus following a response that increases the frequency of [more]Reinforcement - Community and Resources

Noun
1. a military operation (often involving new supplies of men and materiel) to strengthen a military force or aid in the performance of its mission; "they called for artillery support"
(synonym) support, reenforcement
(hypernym) operation, military operation
(hyponym) close support
(derivation) reinforce, reenforce
(classification) military, armed forces, armed services, military machine, war machine
2. information that makes more forcible or convincing; "his gestures provided eloquent reinforcement for his complaints"
(synonym) reenforcement
(hypernym) confirmation
3. (psychology) a stimulus that strengthens or weakens the behavior that produced it
(synonym) reinforcing stimulus, reinforcer
(hypernym) stimulation, stimulus, stimulant, input
(hyponym) positive reinforcing stimulus, positive reinforcer
(derivation) reinforce, reward
(classification) psychology, psychological science
4. a device designed to provide additional strength; "the cardboard backing was just a strengthener"; "he used gummed reinforcements to hold the page in his notebook"
(synonym) strengthener
(hypernym) device
(hyponym) backing, mount
(derivation) reinforce, reenforce
5. an act performed to strengthen approved behavior
(synonym) reward
(hypernym) blessing, approval, approving
(hyponym) carrot
(derivation) reinforce, reward

(n.)
See Reenforcement.