Negative reinforcement occurs when

Negative reinforcement occurs when

• A. An aversive stimulus is removed. Increases frequency at which behavior occurs.
• B. A reward is given after a behavior
• C. A punishment is applied
• D. A new stimulus is introduced

Answer: (A)

Negative reinforcement increases a behavior by removing something unpleasant after the behavior occurs. The correct idea here is that an aversive stimulus is withdrawn when the desired action is performed, which makes that action more likely to happen again in the future. For example, a dog feels pressure or discomfort, and when it performs the desired action (like stopping a pull or sitting), the pressure is released. The dog learns that performing the action ends the unpleasant experience, so it repeats it. This is different from giving a reward after a behavior (positive reinforcement), which adds something pleasant to encourage the behavior, or applying a punishment (adding something unpleasant) to reduce the behavior, or introducing a new stimulus that doesn’t hinge on removing an unpleasant consequence.

Negative reinforcement increases a behavior by removing something unpleasant after the behavior occurs. The correct idea here is that an aversive stimulus is withdrawn when the desired action is performed, which makes that action more likely to happen again in the future. For example, a dog feels pressure or discomfort, and when it performs the desired action (like stopping a pull or sitting), the pressure is released. The dog learns that performing the action ends the unpleasant experience, so it repeats it.

This is different from giving a reward after a behavior (positive reinforcement), which adds something pleasant to encourage the behavior, or applying a punishment (adding something unpleasant) to reduce the behavior, or introducing a new stimulus that doesn’t hinge on removing an unpleasant consequence.