Final answer:
In operant conditioning, negative reinforcement removes an undesirable stimulus to increase a behavior. Positive punishment adds an undesirable stimulus to decrease a behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
In operant conditioning, negative reinforcement involves removing an undesirable stimulus to increase a behavior. For example, car manufacturers use negative reinforcement by having seatbelt systems that beep until the seatbelt is fastened. By removing the annoying sound when the desired behavior is exhibited, the likelihood of buckling up in the future is increased.
In contrast, punishment is used to decrease a behavior. Positive punishment involves adding an undesirable stimulus to decrease a behavior, such as scolding a student for texting in class. On the other hand, negative punishment entails removing a pleasant stimulus to decrease behavior, such as taking away a favorite toy when a child misbehaves.