Which term describes a stimulus that occurs after a behavior has been performed?

The term that describes a stimulus occurring after a behavior has been performed is "consequence." In the context of behavior modification and training, a consequence refers to any outcome that follows a behavior, which can either influence the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future or serve as a response to the behavior.

Consequences play a crucial role in behavioral learning theories, particularly in operant conditioning, where they can be used to increase or decrease a behavior's frequency. For instance, if a dog sits on command and receives a treat immediately after, the treat serves as a positive consequence that reinforces the sitting behavior, making it more likely to be repeated.

Understanding consequences is essential for trainers as it allows them to structure training sessions effectively, ensuring that behaviors they wish to encourage are rewarded appropriately, while those they wish to discourage are addressed through suitable training strategies.