Question

What is the primary difference between punishment and negative reinforcement?

Select one:
a. Punishment decreases and negative reinforcement increases the chance a certain behaviour will occur again.
b. Punishment increases and negative reinforcement decreases the chance a certain behaviour will occur again.
c. Punishment and negative reinforcement both increase the chance a certain behaviour will occur again, but it depends on the specific behaviour being addressed.
d. Negative reinforcement often decreases the chance a certain behaviour will occur again, but punishment always decreases the chance.

Answer 1

Punishment decreases behavior, while negative reinforcement increases behavior.

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary difference between punishment and negative reinforcement lies in their effect on behavior. Punishment always decreases a behavior, while negative reinforcement increases a behavior.

In punishment, an undesirable stimulus is added or presented to reduce a behavior, such as scolding a student for texting in class.

On the other hand, negative reinforcement involves removing an undesirable stimulus to increase a behavior, such as the seatbelt alarm stopping when you fasten your seatbelt.