Felix swore at his girlfriend during an argument one day, after which she would not talk to him for a week. As a result, he became much less likely to swear at her. This is best described as an example of
A) positive reinforcement.
B) negative reinforcement.
C) positive punishment.
D) negative punishment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Negative punishment occurs when a behavior is decreased by removing a pleasant stimulus. In this case, Felix's girlfriend stopped talking to him (removing a pleasant stimulus) after he swore at her, which decreased the likelihood of him swearing at her again.

Felix Swore at His Girlfriend During an Argument One Day