Definition
Automatic Negative Reinforcement occurs when a person’s behavior removes something unpleasant (an aversive stimulus) and increases the likelihood of that behavior happening again in the future, without any help or intervention from others.
Example
A child scratches their arm to stop an itch. The itch is unpleasant, and by scratching, the child removes the discomfort. This increases the chance the child will scratch again the next time they feel an itch. The behavior (scratching) is automatically reinforced because it removes the aversive feeling (the itch) without anyone else needing to give a consequence.