Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated August 2025
Definition
Undesirable consequences refer to negative outcomes or punishments that decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring again in the future. They can be anything from physical discomfort to social disapproval.
Punishment is an aversive consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior happening again. It involves applying or removing something unpleasant in response to the behavior.
Negative reinforcement refers to removing an undesirable stimulus after a behavior occurs, which increases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.
Extinction happens when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer followed by any kind of consequence, leading to a decrease in the frequency of that behavior.