Negative punishment is characterized by which of the following?

Negative punishment involves the removal of a positive stimulus following a behavior, which decreases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the future. This concept is grounded in operant conditioning principles, where behaviors are modified through the consequences that follow them.

When a positive stimulus, such as praise or a toy, is removed as a consequence of a specific behavior, it serves to discourage that behavior from being repeated. For example, if a child is allowed to play with a favorite toy but loses that privilege for misbehaving, the removal of the toy acts as a negative punishment.

This approach aims to reduce undesirable behaviors by taking away something that is rewarding to the individual, effectively altering their response to similar situations in the future. Understanding this mechanism is vital in communication disorders and behavioral methods, as it informs strategies to manage behaviors that may affect an individual's communication abilities.