Removing a desirable stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior.

• A. Positive Reinforcement
• B. Reinforcement
• C. Negative Punishment
• D. Punishment

Answer: (C)

In operant conditioning, consequences shape whether a behavior repeats. Removing a desirable stimulus to decrease a behavior is negative punishment. It weakens the response by taking away something the dog values, like access to a favorite toy or privilege after the undesired action, making the behavior less likely to occur again.

This differs from negative reinforcement, which also involves removing something, but to increase a behavior by taking away an aversive condition (for example, stopping a loud correction when the dog complies). It also differs from reinforcement in general, which aims to strengthen a behavior by presenting a reward. A practical MWD example: after an unwanted action, withholding a preferred toy or privilege for a short time to reduce the chance of the action repeating.