What is an example of removing a stimulus to decrease behavior?

Taking a phone away for a week serves as an example of removing a stimulus to decrease behavior. This concept is rooted in operant conditioning, where removing a desirable item (in this case, the phone) serves as a form of negative punishment. When the phone is taken away, the individual experiences a reduction in reinforcement that is associated with the use of the phone—such as social interaction and entertainment. As a result, the removal of this stimulus is intended to decrease the likelihood of the behavior that led to the phone being taken away.

In contrast, keeping a student after school involves introducing an additional response to address the behavior, which may not effectively illustrate the principle of removing a stimulus. Giving extra homework for misbehavior adds more tasks to the student’s workload rather than removing a reinforcing stimulus. Explaining the consequences of actions does not involve the removal of any object or stimulus and is primarily a form of verbal intervention, not a punishment.