What is the primary difference between positive and negative punishment?

The primary difference between positive and negative punishment lies in how consequences are administered to decrease undesired behaviors. Positive punishment involves introducing an unpleasant outcome or stimulus following a behavior, which diminishes the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the future. For instance, scolding a child for misbehavior is a form of positive punishment; the unpleasant stimulus (the scolding) is added to decrease the unwanted behavior.

In contrast, negative punishment involves removing a pleasant stimulus as a consequence of an undesired behavior, also aiming to reduce that behavior. Because the question focuses on positive punishment, the correct answer highlights the mechanism by which this form of punishment operates—by adding something unpleasant to discourage future occurrences of a behavior.