What is the term for a consequence that decreases the chance a behavior will happen again?

• A. Reinforcement
• B. Punishment
• C. Operant conditioning
• D. Behaviorism

Answer: (B)

Punishment is the term for a consequence that decreases the chance a behavior will happen again. It works by introducing or removing something after the behavior to reduce its future occurrence. There are two kinds: positive punishment adds something unpleasant (like a reprimand); negative punishment removes something desirable (like taking away a privilege). This fits within operant conditioning, the learning process that explains how behavior is shaped by consequences. The opposite concept is reinforcement, which increases the likelihood of a behavior, and behaviorism is the broader approach that studies observable behavior and learning from interactions with the environment.