How are punishment and negative reinforcement different?
A) Punishment involves the use of a negative stimulus; negative reinforcement uses a pleasant stimulus.
B) Punishment increases the frequency of undesired behavior; negative reinforcement discourages it.
C) Punishment always involves pain while negative reinforcement involves the removal of primary reinforcers.
D) Punishment decreases the frequency of behavior while negative reinforcement increases the likelihood of behavior.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Punishment is a consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. In contrast, negative reinforcement is a consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated by removing an aversive stimulus. Therefore, option D is the correct answer as it explains the key difference between punishment and negative reinforcement.

How Are Punishment and Negative Reinforcement Different