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B.5: Identify and distinguish between positive and negative punishment contingencies.

Free practice questions for this part of the BCBA, with an explanation for every option.

In a classroom token economy, a student loses two tokens each time he swears. Swearing decreases over the following weeks. This is an example of:
  1. A. Negative punishment
    Correct. Removing a reinforcer contingent on behavior, which then decreases, is negative punishment (response cost).
  2. B. Negative reinforcement
    Incorrect. Negative reinforcement increases behavior. Here swearing decreased.
  3. C. Extinction
    Incorrect. Extinction withholds the reinforcer that maintained the behavior. The tokens were not what maintained swearing.
  4. D. Positive punishment
    Incorrect. Positive punishment adds a stimulus. Here tokens are removed.
A teacher says "Stop that, Leo!" each time Leo calls out in class. Over three weeks, data show that calling out has steadily increased. What is the most accurate conclusion?
  1. A. The reprimand is a negative punisher
    Incorrect. Nothing is removed contingent on calling out, so this is not negative punishment.
  2. B. Leo is showing an extinction burst
    Incorrect. No extinction procedure is in place, and an extinction burst is brief, not a steady increase over three weeks.
  3. C. The reprimand is functioning as a positive reinforcer, not a punisher
    Correct. Consequences are defined by their effect on behavior. A contingent stimulus followed by increased behavior is a reinforcer.
  4. D. The reprimand is a positive punisher that is too mild
    Incorrect. A stimulus is a punisher only if it decreases future behavior. One that increases behavior is not a punisher of any strength.
Each time 9-year-old Marco hits his sister, his parents turn off his video game for the rest of the evening. Over the next month, hitting happens much less often. Which contingency is operating on hitting?
  1. A. Positive punishment
    Positive punishment adds a stimulus after the behavior. Here something already present (the game) is taken away.
  2. B. Extinction
    Extinction withholds the reinforcer that has been maintaining the behavior. Taking away the video game does not withhold whatever has been maintaining hitting.
  3. C. Negative reinforcement
    Negative reinforcement removes a stimulus and the behavior increases. Hitting decreased.
  4. D. Negative punishment
    Correct. A reinforcing activity is removed contingent on hitting, and hitting decreases in the future. That is negative punishment.

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