Which scenario demonstrates negative punishment?

• A. Your parents cut off your allowance because you lied.
• B. A child receives a prize for good behavior.
• C. A dog is told to sit, and it sits.
• D. Observing someone else.

Answer: (A)

Negative punishment involves taking away something the subject values to decrease the likelihood of a behavior. When your parents cut off your allowance after you lied, they remove a desirable resource, making lying less likely—that is negative punishment. By contrast, giving a prize for good behavior is positive reinforcement (adding a reward to increase the behavior). A dog being told to sit and it sits is an example of following a command reinforced by training, not punishment, and merely observing someone else isn’t a consequence applied to you.