punisher
n. C1 Advanced US //ˈpənɪʃɝ// pun·ish·er
n. a person or thing that causes pain or trouble to someone who has done something wrong. It is often used in psychology to describe a negative result that stops a behavior.
n. a person or thing that inflicts pain, loss, or discomfort as a consequence of an action. In behavioral psychology, it refers to a stimulus that decreases the likelihood of a specific behavior through negative reinforcement.
The loud noise acts as a punisher for the child.
In the classroom, the teacher uses a time-out as a punisher for students who interrupt the lesson.
The study suggests that the effectiveness of a punisher depends on its immediacy and the perceived connection between the action and the consequence.