What is termed the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior?

The concept in question is known as negative reinforcement. This refers to a behavioral concept in which a specific behavior is strengthened by the removal of an unpleasant stimulus. Essentially, when a behavior effectively removes or reduces an aversive condition, it is more likely to be repeated in the future because the individual learns that engaging in that behavior leads to a more favorable outcome—namely, relief from the unpleasant stimulus.

For example, if a child completes their homework to avoid being nagged by a parent, the nagging (unpleasant stimulus) is removed when the child finishes the homework, thereby increasing the chances that the child will do their homework in the future to avoid the nagging.

In contrast, positive punishment involves introducing an unpleasant stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring again. Negative punishment entails the removal of a pleasant stimulus to decrease behavior, while positive reinforcement involves presenting a pleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Each of these terms represents distinct mechanisms within behavior modification, underscoring the importance of understanding how stimuli can influence behavior.