Which term describes reinforcing a response by presenting a favorable stimulus after the response?

• A. Negative reinforcement
• B. Positive reinforcement
• C. Punishment
• D. Extinction

Answer: (B)

When a behavior is followed by presenting something desirable, the chance that the behavior will happen again increases. That is positive reinforcement. It adds a favorable stimulus to strengthen the response. For contrast, negative reinforcement strengthens a behavior by removing an unpleasant thing, punishment introduces or removes something to reduce a behavior, and extinction happens when reinforcement stops and the behavior fades over time. A simple example: giving a sticker to a child after they complete a task is positive reinforcement, because the reward is added to encourage the behavior.