Ignoring the attention-getting behavior of hyperactive children can be a helpful tool to classroom teachers because often,the frequency of the misbehavior will decrease and even stop.What operant conditioning process does this technique most utilize?
A) negative reinforcement
B) shaping
C) stimulus discrimination
D) extinction

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ignoring the attention-getting behavior is a form of extinction, which is the process of reducing the frequency or eliminating the occurrence of a behavior by withholding reinforcement. In this case, the reinforcement the child seeks is attention, so by not acknowledging the behavior, the reinforcement is no longer present, and the behavior will likely decrease or stop. Negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase or maintain a behavior, shaping involves gradually reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior, and stimulus discrimination is the ability to distinguish between different stimuli and respond differently based on those differences. None of these processes accurately describe the technique of ignoring attention-seeking behavior.

Ignoring the Attention-Getting Behavior of Hyperactive Children Can Be a Helpful