What kind of stimuli does negative reinforcement involve?

Negative reinforcement involves the removal of aversive stimuli to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior. This concept is rooted in the idea that when an unpleasant condition or stimulus is eliminated following a specific behavior, individuals are more likely to engage in that behavior again in the future. For example, if a person takes pain relief medication and their headache subsides, the removal of the headache (an aversive stimulus) reinforces the behavior of taking the medication.

In contrast, the other options do not align with the definition of negative reinforcement. Presenting aversive stimuli would not serve as reinforcement but rather as a deterrent. Neutral stimuli that are ignored would not affect behavior in a significant way, and adding positive stimuli does not fall under the umbrella of negative reinforcement—it pertains to positive reinforcement instead. Thus, the correct understanding is that negative reinforcement specifically involves the removal of aversive stimuli.