National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level 2 (NCAC II) Practice Exam Exam

What is positive reinforcement?

1. Removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior

2. Adding a pleasant stimulus to increase a behavior

3. Association of stimulus with an unconditioned response

4. A learned behavior that occurs in response to punishment

The correct answer is: Adding a pleasant stimulus to increase a behavior

Positive reinforcement refers to the process of increasing the likelihood of a desired behavior by introducing a pleasant stimulus following that behavior. This approach is rooted in behavioral psychology, where it is recognized that rewarding behaviors encourages their repetition. For instance, when a child completes their homework and is praised or given a treat, the positive feedback reinforces the behavior, making it more likely that the child will complete their homework again in the future. In contrast to this, other concepts such as the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase behavior represents negative reinforcement, which also aims to increase desired behaviors but through the subtraction of an adverse factor. The association of a stimulus with an unconditioned response pertains to classical conditioning rather than reinforcement strategies. Additionally, learned behaviors that occur in response to punishment refer to a different process, where the focus is on aversive outcomes that discourage certain behaviors rather than promoting behaviors through positive means.