ACE Personal Trainer Practice Exam

What is a characteristic of negative reinforcement?

1. It introduces a desirable stimulus

2. It involves punishment for undesired behavior

3. It removes an aversive stimulus following a behavior

4. It decreases the likelihood of repeated behavior

The correct answer is: It removes an aversive stimulus following a behavior

Negative reinforcement is a concept rooted in behaviorism, particularly in operant conditioning, and it refers to a process where a behavior is strengthened by the removal of an unpleasant or aversive stimulus. When an individual engages in a specific behavior that leads to the elimination of something uncomfortable or undesirable, they are more likely to engage in that behavior again in the future. For example, if a person takes an aspirin to alleviate a headache, the act of taking aspirin removes the headache, thereby reinforcing the likelihood that the individual will use aspirin for headaches again in the future. In fitness training, if a client feels less anxiety or pain after performing certain exercises, they may be more inclined to repeat those exercises, as the negative emotion or discomfort is alleviated. The other options do not describe negative reinforcement. Introducing a desirable stimulus refers to positive reinforcement, while punishment is aimed at decreasing undesired behaviors rather than reinforcing desired ones. Lastly, decreasing the likelihood of repeated behavior is associated with punishment rather than reinforcement. Therefore, the correct understanding of negative reinforcement is centered on its ability to strengthen behavior by removing an aversive consequence.