What happened when Helen's psychotic talk got bootleg reinforcement, after a few weeks of the extinction procedure?
A) Her psychotic talk increased.
B) Her psychotic talk was unaffected, because her normal talk had been intermittently reinforced.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The extinction procedure involves withholding reinforcement for a behavior in order to reduce its frequency. In this case, the reinforcement for Helen's psychotic talk was bootleg reinforcement, which means it was not intentionally provided by others but still reinforced her behavior. When this reinforcement was withheld for a few weeks, the frequency of her psychotic talk should have decreased. However, if her behavior received bootleg reinforcement again after the extinction procedure, her psychotic talk would increase. Therefore, the best choice is A, her psychotic talk increased.

What Happened When Helen's Psychotic Talk Got Bootleg Reinforcement, After