What is the main characteristic of negative punishment?

Negative punishment refers specifically to the removal of a valued stimulus or something that an individual enjoys in order to decrease the likelihood of a negative behavior occurring in the future. By taking away a pleasant stimulus, the intention is to create an unpleasant consequence associated with the undesired behavior, thereby discouraging its recurrence. This method relies on the idea that individuals will strive to avoid losing something valuable to them, leading to a reduction in the behavior that prompted the punishment.

For instance, if a child misbehaves and is not allowed to play with their favorite toy as a consequence, the child might connect that misbehavior with the loss of the toy, making it less likely for them to repeat the undesirable action. This approach is distinct from other methods of behavioral management, such as positive reinforcement, which focuses on adding positive stimuli to encourage desired behaviors instead.