How does reinforcement differ from punishment?

Reinforcement is a key concept in operant conditioning that serves to strengthen or increase the likelihood of a specific behavior being repeated in the future. Positive reinforcement involves adding a pleasant stimulus after a behavior, while negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus. Both types of reinforcement aim to encourage the behavior, making it more likely to occur.

On the other hand, punishment functions to decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring again. Positive punishment involves presenting an unpleasant outcome following an undesired behavior, while negative punishment entails removing a pleasant stimulus. The primary goal of punishment is to discourage inappropriate or undesired actions.

Thus, the correct understanding is that reinforcement increases the probability of a behavior, while punishment decreases it. This fundamental distinction highlights the different roles these behavior-modifying techniques play in learning and behavior management.