FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

How is negative reinforcement defined in the context of behavior theory?

1. Removal of a stimulus that increases a behavior

2. Addition of a stimulus to encourage a behavior

3. Ignoring a behavior to eliminate it

4. Providing consequences to discourage a behavior

The correct answer is: Removal of a stimulus that increases a behavior

Negative reinforcement is defined as the removal of a stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior occurring in the future. In behavior theory, the term "negative" refers to the subtraction or removal of an adverse stimulus, which leads to a more favorable outcome for the individual. This process encourages the individual to engage in a specific behavior to avoid or eliminate the undesirable stimulus. For example, if a student completes their homework to avoid being scolded by the teacher, the scolding (an unpleasant stimulus) is removed as a consequence of completing the homework. As a result, the behavior of doing homework is reinforced because it leads to the reduction of something negative. The other options represent different concepts within behavior theory, such as positive reinforcement, where a stimulus is added to encourage a behavior, or punishment, which aims to deter a behavior through consequences. Understanding negative reinforcement is crucial for educating students effectively, as it promotes behaviors by creating a more pleasant learning environment through the removal of negative stimuli.