reinforcement
/ˌriːɪnˈfɔːsmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrsmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌrē-ən-ˈfȯrs-mənt/ (ame, mw)
reinforcement — 名詞
1. the process of making an existing idea, belief, or behaviour stronger, especiall
加強
使想法、信念或物體更強大的過程
the process of making an existing idea, belief, or behaviour stronger, especially by adding evidence, praise, or repetition
The teacher's praise served as reinforcement for the children's efforts in class.
老師的稱讚對孩子在課堂上的努力起了加強作用。
served as + reinforcement + for (abstract use)
Sahil only read news that confirmed his opinions, giving his political beliefs constant reinforcement.
Sahil 只看那些印證自己想法的消息，這讓他的既有政治信念不斷得到強化。
The school's anti-bullying campaign provided constant reinforcement of the message that every student deserves respect.
該校的反霸凌活動持續強化了每個學生都值得被尊重這個理念。
Her manager's praise gave Jenna the reinforcement she needed to improve her sales technique.
主管的讚賞給了 Jenna 改善銷售技巧所需要的鼓勵。
- strengthening
more general and slightly less formal than reinforcement
- support
broader meaning; can be emotional or structural without necessarily making stronger
- bolstering
more emphatic, often used for abstract things like confidence or morale
- weakening
the opposite process of making something less strong or effective
文法句型
reinforcement + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Can be uncountable when referring to the process (the reinforcement of good habits) or countable when referring to a specific instance of strengthening (each compliment was a reinforcement of her confidence). Typically used with abstract ideas, beliefs, feelings, and behaviour patterns.
常見錯誤
2. additional soldiers, police officers, or military equipment sent to help a force
增援
增派支援的軍隊或警力
additional soldiers, police officers, or military equipment sent to help a force that needs more people or resources
The commander called for reinforcements as soon as the enemy attack began.
敵軍一發動攻擊，指揮官就請求增援。
call for + reinforcements
Police reinforcements arrived on the scene just as the protest was growing larger.
就在抗議活動逐漸擴大之際，警方增援部隊趕到了現場。
The soldiers at the front line were exhausted and desperately waiting for reinforcements.
前線的士兵們筋疲力竭，焦急地等待著增援部隊到來。
Shirin listened to the radio dispatch announcing that reinforcements were two hours away.
Shirin 從無線電調度中聽到通報說增援部隊還需要兩小時才能抵達。
文法句型
call for + reinforcements
send + reinforcements
arrival of + reinforcements
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form (reinforcements) when referring to additional troops or police. The singular is uncommon in this military/police sense.
常見錯誤
3. a material or device added to a structure or object to give it extra strength, e
加固物
增加結構強度的材料或裝置
a material or device added to a structure or object to give it extra strength, especially in building, engineering, or manufacturing
The concrete wall contains steel reinforcement to prevent cracks from forming.
這道混凝土牆內含鋼筋加固，以防止出現裂縫。
steel + reinforcement (material collocation)
Fiberglass reinforcement was added to the boat hull to make it more durable.
船體添加了玻璃纖維強化材料，使其更加耐用。
Asher used metal reinforcement to fix the broken leg of the old wooden table.
Asher 用金屬加固物修好了那張舊木桌斷裂的桌腳。
The construction team installed additional reinforcement around the windows.
施工團隊在窗戶周圍安裝了額外的加固材料。
The bridge required steel reinforcement to handle the increased traffic loads.
這座橋需要加裝鋼材加固，以應付增加的車流量。
文法句型
noun + reinforcement
reinforcement + for + noun
用法筆記
Often used without an article when referring to a type of material in general (steel reinforcement). Countable when pointing to a specific object or device (a metal reinforcement was installed in the beam).
常見錯誤
4. in psychology, a stimulus, reward, or response that makes a person or animal mor
增強
心理學中強化行為的刺激
in psychology, a stimulus, reward, or response that makes a person or animal more likely to repeat a particular behavior in the future
Positive reinforcement, such as giving a child a treat for completing homework, builds good habits.
正向增強（例如孩子完成作業時給予獎勵）可以改善學習習慣。
positive + reinforcement (key technical distinction)
The dog trainer used food as reinforcement to teach the puppy to sit and stay.
訓狗師以食物作為增強刺激，教導小狗學會坐下和等待。
Negative reinforcement strengthens a behavior by removing something unpleasant, like stopping a loud noise when a rat presses a lever.
負向增強是透過移除令人不快的條件來強化某個行為，例如老鼠按壓槓桿後噪音停止。
Yael's professor used different schedules of reinforcement to speed up the rats' learning in the lab.
Yael 的教授運用不同的增強時程來加速老鼠在實驗室中的學習效果。
- reward
non-technical and broader; lacks the formal theoretical framework that reinforcement has in psychology
- reinforcer
the technical term for the specific stimulus that produces reinforcement
- punishment
the opposite process in behavior modification — it decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated
文法句型
positive + reinforcement
negative + reinforcement
reinforcement + of + behavior
用法筆記
In psychology, positive reinforcement means adding a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior. Negative reinforcement means removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior. Both increase the target behavior — this is a common point of confusion for learners who think 'negative reinforcement' means punishment.