A stimulus that acquires aversive properties due to being paired with other aversives is called what?

• A. Conditioned punisher
• B. Unconditioned punisher
• C. Negative reinforcer
• D. Positive punisher

Answer: (A)

When a neutral stimulus becomes aversive because it is paired with other aversives, it has learned to function as a conditioned punisher. This means the stimulus now reduces future behavior because of its association with aversive events, not because it was inherently aversive to begin with.

An unconditioned punisher is aversive on its own, without any learning history. A negative reinforcer increases behavior by removing an aversive stimulus, not by adding something aversive. A positive punisher adds an aversive stimulus to decrease behavior, but the defining feature here is the aversive property that was acquired through pairing, which makes the stimulus a conditioned punisher.