Negative punishment involves a decrease in the future rate of behavior due to withdrawal of what type of stimulus contingent on behavior?

• A. Aversive stimulus
• B. Neutral stimulus
• C. Social reinforcement
• D. Appetitive stimulus

Answer: (D)

Negative punishment decreases future behavior by removing a reinforcing (appetitive) stimulus after the behavior occurs. Since the stimulus taken away is something the individual finds rewarding, its withdrawal makes the behavior less likely to happen again. If an aversive (unpleasant) thing were removed, that would typically reinforce the behavior (negative reinforcement) rather than punish it. A neutral stimulus has no reinforcing value, so removing it wouldn’t reliably change behavior. Social reinforcement can be reinforcing as well, but the standard description of negative punishment centers on removing an appetitive stimulus that the person values.