What effect does punishment have on a behavior?

Punishment is primarily intended to reduce the likelihood of a specific behavior occurring again in the future. When a behavior is followed by an aversive consequence (punishment), it typically leads to a decrease in that behavior. This occurs because individuals learn to associate the behavior with the negative outcome, which discourages them from repeating the behavior.

In the context of operant conditioning, punishment can effectively decrease responding by creating undesirable feelings or outcomes connected to the behavior. While some may argue that certain types of punishment could lead to increased motivation or other effects, the primary and most reliable outcome of punishment when applied correctly is a reduction in the frequency of the targeted behavior.