Positive Punishment is

Positive Punishment is

• A. Stimulus removed to decrease behavior
• B. Reward added to increase behavior
• C. Stimulus added so behavior happens less often
• D. No consequence occurs

Answer: (C)

Positive punishment involves adding an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior to reduce the likelihood that the behavior will happen again. The correct description says a stimulus is added and the goal is to decrease how often the behavior occurs, which is exactly what positive punishment entails. This is different from removing something to decrease a behavior (negative punishment) or giving a reward to increase a behavior (positive reinforcement), and it’s not about no consequence at all. In training contexts, it’s the idea of introducing an aversive consequence right after the undesired behavior to discourage its repetition.

Positive punishment involves adding an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior to reduce the likelihood that the behavior will happen again. The correct description says a stimulus is added and the goal is to decrease how often the behavior occurs, which is exactly what positive punishment entails. This is different from removing something to decrease a behavior (negative punishment) or giving a reward to increase a behavior (positive reinforcement), and it’s not about no consequence at all. In training contexts, it’s the idea of introducing an aversive consequence right after the undesired behavior to discourage its repetition.