Which term describes adding a stimulus that decreases a behavior?

• A. Positive punishment
• B. Negative punishment
• C. Negative reinforcement
• D. Positive reinforcement

Answer: (A)

In operant conditioning, consequences are categorized by whether they increase or decrease a behavior and whether something is added or removed. When you add an aversive or unpleasant stimulus to reduce the chance the behavior will occur again, that is positive punishment. It contrasts with negative punishment (removing something desirable to decrease a behavior), negative reinforcement (removing something unpleasant to increase a behavior), and positive reinforcement (adding something rewarding to increase a behavior). So adding an aversive consequence to try to suppress the behavior fits the term described.