Negative reinforcement occurs when the rate of a behavior is observed toincrease following the removal of a stimuli. In other words, the terminationor removal of an aversive stimulus is likely to increase the target behavior.

Negative reinforcement is also associated with escape or avoidancebehaviors. The target behavior increases in order to escape or avoid thepossible aversive consequences.

Both positve and negativereinforcements strengthen the associated behavior.

It is important to remember that negative reinforcement is not the same as punishment, with which it is often confused.

Examples

The rat will increase the frequency of pressing the bar when it has learnedthat this will remove the electric shock.

A child picks up her clothes in order to stop her parents from nagging.

A person who first experiences a headache and by taking aspirin succeeds ingetting rid of pain, will take another aspirin upon later occurence of aheadache.