A response followed immediately by a stimulus change that decreases the future probability of similar responses is best described as what?

The situation described involves a response that is followed by a stimulus change leading to a decrease in the future likelihood of that response occurring again. This scenario aligns with the definition of punishment in behavior analysis.

Punishment, in this context, refers to any consequence that reduces the probability of a behavior in the future. When a response is immediately followed by an unfavorable or aversive stimulus change, it acts to decrease the chances that the same response will be made in similar situations going forward.

This definition clearly separates punishment from other concepts. For instance, positive punishment specifically denotes the addition of an aversive stimulus following a behavior, while negative reinforcement involves the removal of an adverse stimulus to increase a desired behavior. Whereas extinction relates to the withholding of reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior, resulting in a decrease in that behavior over time, it does not include any immediate stimulus change that could lead to a direct consequence influencing behavior.

Overall, the key aspect of the correct choice lies in its clear portrayal of how the stimulus change decreases the probability of that behavior in the future, which directly connects it to the notion of punishment.