Which type of reinforcement occurs when a behavior is strengthened by removing an aversive stimulus?

Negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior is strengthened by the removal of an aversive stimulus. In this context, an aversive stimulus is something undesirable or unpleasant that an individual seeks to avoid or eliminate. By removing this stimulus after a particular behavior is exhibited, the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the future increases.

For example, consider a situation where a student studies hard to avoid failing a test. The act of studying (the behavior) is strengthened because it leads to the removal of the anxiety or fear of failing (the aversive stimulus). Therefore, the behavior of studying is more likely to be repeated in the future due to its successful outcome in removing the unpleasant feeling.

In contrast, positive reinforcement involves adding a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior, while positive and negative punishment focus on decreasing a behavior by applying or removing stimuli, respectively.