What is an example of negative reinforcement?

Negative reinforcement is a concept in behavioral psychology that involves the removal of an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior. In this context, the example given, where the seatbelt buzzer goes off when driving without a seatbelt, illustrates negative reinforcement effectively. When the driver buckles up, the annoying sound of the buzzer stops, thereby removing the discomfort associated with the noise. This removal acts as a reinforcing factor that encourages the behavior of fastening the seatbelt in the future to avoid the unpleasant sound.

The other options do not involve the removal of an aversive stimulus. Allowing extra time to complete homework is more about providing support rather than reinforcing behavior through the removal of something unpleasant. A reward for meeting a milestone is an example of positive reinforcement, where a beneficial outcome is given to encourage a behavior. Encouragement from peers may boost motivation but does not operate under the principle of negative reinforcement, as it does not involve removing an unpleasant stimulus. Thus, the seatbelt buzzer scenario clearly aligns with the definition of negative reinforcement.