Negative reinforcement is a psychological concept that refers to the process of reinforcing a desired behavior by removing an aversive stimulus after the behavior has occurred. Negative reinforcement is one of the basic principles of operant conditioning, which is a type of learning that occurs through the association of stimuli and responses. Negative reinforcement is often confused with punishment, but the two are distinct concepts. Whereas punishment involves the presentation of an aversive stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior, negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.
