Which term describes reinforcement that strengthens a response by removing an unpleasant stimulus?

Which term describes reinforcement that strengthens a response by removing an unpleasant stimulus?

• A. Negative reinforcement
• B. Positive reinforcement
• C. Aversive
• D. Pairing

Answer: (A)

Negative reinforcement is reinforcement that strengthens a response by removing an unpleasant stimulus. The key idea is that the behavior is more likely to occur again because something aversive is taken away as a consequence. For example, finishing a disliked task to stop nagging or buckling a seatbelt to end the car’s beeping makes the behavior more likely in the future, since it removes the annoyance. This stands in contrast to positive reinforcement, where a pleasant stimulus is added after the behavior to increase it. The term aversive describes the unpleasant stimulus itself, not the mechanism of removing or eliminating it to shape behavior. Pairing involves forming an association between two stimuli or events, which is a different learning process.

Negative reinforcement is reinforcement that strengthens a response by removing an unpleasant stimulus. The key idea is that the behavior is more likely to occur again because something aversive is taken away as a consequence. For example, finishing a disliked task to stop nagging or buckling a seatbelt to end the car’s beeping makes the behavior more likely in the future, since it removes the annoyance. This stands in contrast to positive reinforcement, where a pleasant stimulus is added after the behavior to increase it. The term aversive describes the unpleasant stimulus itself, not the mechanism of removing or eliminating it to shape behavior. Pairing involves forming an association between two stimuli or events, which is a different learning process.