Which of the following best describes negative reinforcement?

Negative reinforcement is a concept in behavioral psychology that involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior. To clarify, it’s not about punishment or imposing negative consequences; rather, it focuses on encouraging specific behaviors by eliminating something adverse once the behavior occurs.

In this context, withholding a negative consequence to promote desired behavior aligns perfectly with the definition of negative reinforcement. For instance, if an employee has been underperforming and the manager decides not to impose disciplinary action when improvements are observed, that employee is more likely to continue improving their performance, motivated by the absence of that negative consequence.

The other options represent different concepts in behavioral management. Imposing strict penalties for mistakes relates to punishment, which is not the same as negative reinforcement. Providing rewards for excellent performance pertains to positive reinforcement rather than negative reinforcement. Encouraging teamwork among employees does not directly relate to the mechanics of reinforcement in behavior modification.