Voltaire: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. What did Voltaire mean with this statement? What does it mean for you and your life?

like many students at university, you may be unhappy about the results you attain in exams. you may feel that even with all you are doing there must be something more -- or different-- you could be doing to get better grades. we have all at some time or other heard of that student who only studies a couple of hours for final exams and scores a's every time. we stand in awe of those who seem to breeze through without undue effort and seem to need very little in the way of studying to nail an exam. the reasons for success, in what i think are the vast majority of cases, are less esoteric than many students think: successful students consistently apply a series of productive strategies with view to attaining clearly identified learning and grade goals throughout the academic term.

the answer to the question is punishment. or more specifically, positive punishment.

positive punishment occurs when a behavior is given a negative consequence for the individual doing the behavior.

sara no longer wants to ask questions (the behavior) because she is ridiculed by mr. smith (the punishment).

reinforcement is inaccurate because reinforcement always gives positive consequences for the individual doing the behavior, be it by introducing a pleasant consequence or removing an unpleasant one.