Ernie has a conviction for marijuana use in his past. For the first three years of his employment, he had to submit to monthly drug testing. After three years of being clean, his employer changed the requirement to a random test twice a year. This change is an example of
A)negative reinforcement.
B)positive reinforcement.
C)extinction.
D)punishment.
E)arbitration.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus (in this case, frequent drug tests) to encourage a desired behavior (remaining drug-free). By reducing the frequency of drug tests after three years of clean results, the employer is using negative reinforcement to continue encouraging Ernie's drug-free behavior.

Ernie Has a Conviction for Marijuana Use in His Past