AP Psychology Learning Practice Test

Negative reinforcement plays a significant role in shaping behavior by increasing the likelihood of a behavior being repeated in the future. This occurs when a behavior is followed by the removal of an unpleasant or aversive stimulus, which creates a more favorable outcome. For example, if a student studies to avoid poor grades, the act of studying is reinforced by the removal of the anxiety associated with failing.

By removing a negative condition, negative reinforcement encourages that behavior to occur more frequently, essentially making it more likely for the individual to engage in the behavior again to achieve relief from discomfort. Thus, negative reinforcement is a crucial aspect of operant conditioning that effectively increases responding by enhancing the desired behavior through the alleviation of negative stimuli. This mechanism is widely used in various learning environments and behavioral therapies to modify and improve behavior.