Which scenario is an example of negative reinforcement?

Negative reinforcement involves the removal or avoidance of an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated in the future. In this scenario, the action of closing the window is taken to stop cold air from coming in, which represents an unpleasant stimulus. When the window is closed, the discomfort from the cold air is removed. This removal of the negative stimulus leads to an increase in the likelihood that the behavior of closing the window will happen again in similar future situations, thus strengthening the behavior.

The other scenarios do not illustrate negative reinforcement effectively. For example, closing the window to stop cold air does not involve a weakening of the action taken; rather, it reinforces the behavior by providing relief from the unpleasant condition. Engaging in a behavior and receiving positive feedback, such as cheers, signifies positive reinforcement, which is different from negative reinforcement. Lastly, covering ears to stop a loud noise, while it might seem like it could connect to negative reinforcement, does not illustrate that the act of covering ears is weakened; instead, it should strengthen the behavior of covering ears in response to loud noises. Therefore, the correct scenario that illustrates negative reinforcement is indeed the action of closing the window to stop the cold air, which is strengthened by the relief provided from the discomfort