Question

Mason, a stockbroker, runs two miles every day after work because it reduces his level of stress. Mason's running habit is maintained by a ________ reinforcer.

Answer 1

Answer: Negative reinforcer

Explanation:

In the field of psychology, a reinforcer is defined as the act by which a stimulus, or reinforcer, makes the probability of the behavior more frequent in the future. When speaking of negative reinforcer, it refers to the response that is emitted after the discomfort of an unpleasant event is eliminated. An example of a negative reinforcer is the case of Mason. Mason performs exercises to reduce his stress levels. The stress level is the negative thing that you will get out of your life if you exercise.

So that the negative reinforcer is given, the person performs an activity to eliminate something that causes him discomfort or that represents some type of threat. In any area, this type of reinforcement is used. Another example would be when a father tells his son that if he does not take his medicines he will be vaccinated since the child is afraid of the injection he prefers to take his medicines. The negative reinforcer is focused on eliminating the aversive stimulus, something to keep in mind since in many cases it can be confused with the positive reinforcer in which the person gets a reward for performing the behavior.