Applied Behavior Analysis Technician (ABAT) Practice Test

The correct choice indicates that behavior is strengthened through reinforcement, which is a distinct process from negative punishment. Negative punishment involves the removal of a favorable stimulus following a behavior, which leads to a decrease in that behavior. For example, if a child misbehaves and loses access to a toy, the behavior of misbehaving is likely to decrease due to the loss of the toy, which is the desirable stimulus.

In terms of negative punishment, it is essential to understand that it specifically refers to scenarios where a positive stimulus is removed to reduce the likelihood of an undesirable behavior occurring again. Options that talk about the removal of a stimulus, withholding positive stimulation, or the effect of removing a desirable stimulus all correctly relate back to this concept of negative punishment, as they describe actions that contribute to a decrease in behavior by eliminating something positive. Thus, the mention of behavior being strengthened through reinforcement is different; reinforcement aims to increase, rather than decrease, behavior.