Three of the following common criticisms of using behaviorist approaches in the classroom are valid ones. Which one usually is not true about behaviorist approaches?
A) When a student who enjoys an activity is given extrinsic reinforcement for doing it, the student's intrinsic interest in the activity may decrease.
B) If some misbehaviors are reduced through reinforcement or punishment, other misbehaviors will always spring up to replace them.
C) Reinforcing a student simply for doing a task, without regard for the quality of performance, can encourage the student to do it quickly rather than well.
D) When a student has cognitive deficits that interfere with performance, simply reinforcing desired behaviors will be insufficient to bring about important changes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Option B is usually not true because it suggests a deterministic outcome ("will always spring up") that doesn't account for the complexity of behavior modification. While it's possible for other misbehaviors to emerge (a phenomenon known as "behavioral contrast"), it is not an inevitable outcome of using reinforcement or punishment. Effective behaviorist strategies can reduce or eliminate undesired behaviors without necessarily causing new ones to appear.

Three of the Following Common Criticisms of Using Behaviorist Approaches