Question

The method for increasing behaviors that allow an organism to escape or avoid an unpleasant consequence is referred to as ____.

a.
positive punishment
c.
negative punishment
b.
positive reinforcement
d.
negative reinforcement

Answer 1

The method that increases behaviors to avoid unpleasant consequences is known as negative reinforcement. It entails removing an undesirable stimulus to bolster a certain behavior, contrasting with positive reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment, which all interact with behavior differently.

Step-by-step explanation:

The answer is Negative reinforcement. In the context of operant conditioning, negative reinforcement involves the removal of an undesirable stimulus to increase a behavior.

For example, the annoying beeping sound from a car's seatbelt reminder stops once the seatbelt is fastened, increasing the likelihood that the wearer will buckle up in the future to avoid the unpleasant sound.

Positive reinforcement, on the other hand, adds a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior, such as giving a child a treat for completing their homework. Positive punishment adds an undesirable stimulus to decrease a behavior, like scolding a student for texting in class.

Finally, negative punishment involves removing a pleasant stimulus to decrease a behavior, such as taking away a toy when a child misbehaves.