What he means, for instance, in this case is well, talking to yourself is self-reinforcing or giving bad news to an enemy is reinforcing because it makes your enemy feel bad.

比如在这个例子中，他的意思其实是，自言自语是种自我强化行为,而向敌人散布坏消息也是一种强化,因为这样做可以使敌人感到不快。

耶鲁公开课 - 心理学导论课程节选

To say giving bad news to an enemy is reinforcing because it makes the enemy feel bad doesn't say anything different from giving bad news to an enemy feels good because we like to give bad news to an enemy.

由于使敌人感到不快,而认定向敌人散布坏消息是强化行为,这与因为我们想要敌人听到坏消息,而向心情良好的敌人散布坏消息,没什么区别。

耶鲁公开课 - 心理学导论课程节选