ABA glossary
Negative reinforcement
Also called SR-
Definition
A stimulus is removed, reduced, or postponed right after a behavior, and the behavior occurs more often in the future. Escape and avoidance are both forms of negative reinforcement.
In plain words
"Negative" means taken away, not bad. Something the person would rather not have, such as a hard task, a loud noise, a demand, or an itch, ends or is put off when the behavior occurs, so the behavior becomes more likely. Many problem behaviors are maintained this way: if tantrums end tasks, tantrums grow. Negative reinforcement also explains appropriate behavior, such as asking for a break, putting on a coat to stop feeling cold, or finishing paperwork to stop a supervisor's reminders.
Example from a session
During handwriting, Aiden, 8, has learned to push the worksheet off the table, because in past sessions the work was then put away for a few minutes. His plan now teaches him to hand over a "break" card instead. Each time he does, the RBT removes the worksheet for 1 minute, as written. Break requests increase, so the worksheet's removal is negatively reinforcing the card exchange.
For BCBA candidates and supervisors
A behavior that is high in the demand (escape) condition of a functional analysis and low elsewhere suggests negative reinforcement by escape from demands. Treatment usually combines less or no escape for problem behavior with negative reinforcement for an appropriate alternative, such as a break request, plus antecedent changes that make the task less aversive. Analysts also look for negative reinforcement acting on caregivers and staff: an adult who ends a demand when a child screams is reinforced by the screaming stopping, so the plan has to address both sides of the interaction.
Often confused with negative punishment, punishment
Negative reinforcement is not punishment. Negative reinforcement and negative punishment both remove a stimulus, but negative reinforcement removes something aversive and the behavior increases, while negative punishment removes something preferred (a toy, tokens, attention) and the behavior decreases. Check what happened to the behavior afterward: up means reinforcement.
Exam tip
Look for something unpleasant ending or being avoided right after the behavior, plus an increase in that behavior. Phrases like "allowed to stop," "task removed," "left the room," or "the demand was delayed" usually signal negative reinforcement.
Can you spot negative reinforcement in a scenario?
Practice BCBA B.4 with exam-style questions and instant feedback.