Punishment in behaviorist terms is described as what?

• A. Decreases behavior.
• B. Increases behavior.
• C. Has no effect on behavior.
• D. Only works when reinforcement is also used.

Answer: (A)

Punishment is a consequence that makes the behavior less likely to occur again. In operant conditioning, this is what sets punishment apart from reinforcement, which increases behavior. There are two forms: positive punishment adds something aversive after the behavior (like scolding), and negative punishment takes away something desirable (like losing a privilege). Both aim to reduce the target behavior, so the correct idea is that punishment decreases behavior.