| Type of conditioning | How it occurs | Result | Example |
|---|
| Positive reinforcement | Desired consequence is produced by behavior. | Increased likelihood of the behavior | A pleasant effect from drug use makes drug use more likely to recur. |
| Negative reinforcement | Undesired event or circumstance is removed after behavior. | Increased likelihood of the behavior | The uncomfortable feeling of having dirty hands is relieved by washing them (which makes such washing more likely to recur). |
| Positive punishment | Undesired consequence is produced by behavior. | Decreased likelihood of the behavior | A sister’s humiliating comment about her brother’s singing along with the radio makes future singing in her presence less likely to recur. |
| Negative punishment | Pleasant event or circumstance is removed after behavior. | Decreased likelihood of the behavior | Removing a television from a teenager’s room after he stays out too late makes staying out too late less likely to recur. |