ABA glossary
Negative punishment
Definition
A response is followed by the removal of a stimulus, usually a reinforcer, or a decrease in its intensity, and similar responses occur less often in the future. Time-out and response cost are the main procedures.
In plain words
In negative punishment, something the person values is taken away after the behavior: tokens, minutes of game time, or access to an activity or to attention. If the behavior then decreases, negative punishment has occurred. It is often confused with negative reinforcement because both involve removal, but negative punishment removes something wanted and the behavior goes down, while negative reinforcement removes something unwanted and the behavior goes up.
Example from a session
Kayla's plan includes response cost: each time she swears during a game, she loses 1 minute of game time from a 10-minute bank, as written. The RBT states the rule neutrally ("That's one minute") and moves on, records each instance, and continues to praise appropriate talk. Over the week swearing decreases, showing the removal of game time is functioning as negative punishment.
For BCBA candidates and supervisors
Analysts select time-out or response cost based on function and context. Time-out removes access to reinforcement for a period and works only if time-in is rich; if the behavior is escape-maintained, time-out may reinforce it. Response cost requires a reserve of reinforcers to remove, a clear loss amount, and rules for what happens when the bank is empty. Both are punishment procedures and should come with consent, written guidelines, data, and reinforcement for appropriate behavior.
Often confused with negative reinforcement, extinction
Negative punishment removes a preferred stimulus after behavior and the behavior decreases; negative reinforcement removes an aversive stimulus and the behavior increases. Extinction differs from negative punishment because it withholds the specific reinforcer that maintained the behavior, rather than taking away some other reinforcer the person already has.
Exam tip
Ask what was removed. Something liked, and behavior decreases: negative punishment. Something disliked, and behavior increases: negative reinforcement. "Lost tokens" and "sent away from the game" are classic negative punishment cues.
Can you spot negative punishment in a scenario?
Practice BCBA B.5 with exam-style questions and instant feedback.