Which term describes withholding pleasant events to decrease a behavior?

Which term describes withholding pleasant events to decrease a behavior?

• A. Verbal praise is withheld to decrease behavior.
• B. Withholding pleasant events to decrease a behavior.
• C. Providing a reward after a behavior.
• D. Introducing an aversive stimulus after a behavior.

Answer: (B)

Withholding pleasant events to decrease a behavior describes removing a desirable consequence after the behavior to reduce its occurrence. In operant conditioning, this is negative punishment—the behavior becomes less likely because something enjoyable is taken away. For example, taking away access to a favorite toy or a fun activity after a misbehavior is a way to weaken that behavior. This differs from giving a reward after a behavior (positive reinforcement), which strengthens the behavior, or adding an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior (positive punishment), which also aims to reduce the behavior but by introducing something aversive. Verbal praise being withheld is a specific instance of negative punishment, but the general phrase captures the mechanism most accurately.

Withholding pleasant events to decrease a behavior describes removing a desirable consequence after the behavior to reduce its occurrence. In operant conditioning, this is negative punishment—the behavior becomes less likely because something enjoyable is taken away. For example, taking away access to a favorite toy or a fun activity after a misbehavior is a way to weaken that behavior. This differs from giving a reward after a behavior (positive reinforcement), which strengthens the behavior, or adding an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior (positive punishment), which also aims to reduce the behavior but by introducing something aversive. Verbal praise being withheld is a specific instance of negative punishment, but the general phrase captures the mechanism most accurately.