Negative reinforcement is often confused with punishment; however, they are very different. Punishment is defined as a penalty imposed upon an individual for an offense of some sort. What is negative reinforcement?

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Negative reinforcement is the removal of an undesirable stimulus with the intention of increasing a desired behavior. The term negative here represents the taking away of a stimulus, not the nature of it. When teaching a child to use an umbrella, you show them that using an umbrella takes away the negative stimulus of getting rain on them. When they realize that the umbrella stops the discomfort of getting wet, the likelihood that they will use an umbrella when it rains will increase.

Negative Reinforcement Is Often Confused with Punishment; However, They Are