An event that decreases the behavior that precedes it is a secondary reinforcer. punishment. conditioned stimulus. negative reinforcer.

## Step 1<br />The problem is asking us to identify the term that describes an event that decreases the behavior that precedes it. This is a concept in psychology, specifically in the field of operant conditioning.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />Operant conditioning is a type of learning where behavior is controlled by consequences. It was developed by B.F. Skinner and is a fundamental concept in psychology.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />In operant conditioning, there are two types of reinforcement: positive and negative. Positive reinforcement involves adding a rewarding stimulus to increase a behavior, while negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />On the other hand, punishment is a process that decreases the likelihood of a behavior by either adding an aversive stimulus (punishment by application) or removing a rewarding stimulus (punishment by removal).<br /><br />## Step 5<br />Given the options, the term that best fits the description of an event that decreases the behavior that precedes it is "punishment".