National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) Practice Exam

What describes the negative reinforcement technique?

1. Adding a stimulus to encourage behavior

2. Removing a stimulus to strengthen behavior

3. Ignoring undesired behaviors

4. Providing rewards for positive outcomes

The correct answer is: Removing a stimulus to strengthen behavior

Negative reinforcement is a concept rooted in behavioral psychology. It involves the removal of an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior being repeated in the future. This is distinctly different from punishment or positive reinforcement. When we think of negative reinforcement, imagine a common scenario: suppose an individual is doing chores, and there’s a loud beeping noise that continues until the chores are completed. Once the chores are done, the beeping stops. The cessation of the annoying noise—an aversive stimulus—reinforces the behavior of completing chores, motivating the individual to repeat this action in the future. This technique is effective because it directly strengthens behavior by removing something unpleasant, thereby creating a more favorable environment for the behavior to occur again. It is essential to note that this is not about punishment or ignoring undesired behaviors; rather, it's about eliminating negative conditions to promote positive behaviors.