Introductory Concepts
Elementary Relationships
Extensions of Verbal Behavior
Multiple Controlling Relationships
Building on the Elementary Relationships
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1.7 Definition of Punishment

The next term is punishment, which is sort of the opposite of reinforcement. Punishment refers to a process or operation in which a response produces a consequence and the probability of that response occurring again in similar conditions decreases because of the consequence.

TermDefinition
StimulusA physical energy change capable of affecting an organism through one of its receptors: photoreceptors, phonoreceptors, chemoreceptors (gustatory and olfactory), mechanoreceptors (touch), thermoreceptors, and free nerve endings. 
Discriminative StimulusA stimulus in the presence of which a given response has a history of being reinforced.      
ReinforcementA stimulus following a response that increases or strengthens the likelihood of that response occurring in the future, under similar conditions.
PunishmentA stimulus following a response that decreases or weakens the likelihood of that response occurring in the future, under similar conditions.
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Punishment is when something happens after a behavior that makes it less likely the behavior will happen again. For example, if you touch a hot stove and get burned, you’re less likely to touch it again because of that negative consequence.

Punishment is a stimulus that immediately follows a behavior, that in turn decreases future behavior which led to the stimulus.

punishment is a response that weakens the likelihood of that response happening again.

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