Which type of operant conditioning involves the removal of a positive stimulus to decrease behavior?

The chosen answer is accurate because negative punishment, by definition, involves the removal of a positive stimulus following a behavior, which results in the decrease of that behavior. In operant conditioning, a positive stimulus is something that adds pleasure or satisfaction, such as privileges, rewards, or attention. When this positive stimulus is taken away after an undesired behavior occurs, it makes that behavior less likely to happen in the future.

For example, if a child misbehaves and loses access to their favorite toy, the removal of the toy serves as negative punishment. The intent is to discourage the misbehavior by taking away something enjoyable, thereby teaching the child to avoid that action in order to keep the toy.

In contrast, positive reinforcement involves adding a reinforcing stimulus to strengthen a desired behavior, while negative reinforcement entails removing an aversive stimulus to increase the frequency of a behavior. Positive punishment adds an aversive stimulus to decrease behavior, which is fundamentally different from the concept of removing a positive stimulus as seen in negative punishment.