Final answer:
For punishment to be effective, it must be consistent, immediate, and paired with the reinforcement of alternative, positive behaviors rather than solely increasing severity, which may cause negative side effects such as fear and aggression.
Step-by-step explanation:
When making punishment more effective, certain criteria should be considered. Importantly, punishment should not be inconsistent, as inconsistent administration can lead to confusion and unpredictability, reducing the effectiveness of the punishment. Additionally, having a delay between behavior and punishment can weaken the association between the behavior and its consequence, making the punishment less effective.
More severe punishment is not always the answer as it can lead to fear, aggression, and antisocial behavior rather than teaching correct behavior. Lastly, it is critical that an alternative to the punished behavior is being reinforced. When an appropriate behavior is consistently rewarded, it encourages the person to replace the undesirable behavior with the positive one.