According to the principles of operant conditioning, refusing to give the child who is having a tantrum what he is asking for, will
A) cause problems between the parents.
B) extinguish the behaviour.
C) only provoke further negative behaviour.
D) severely traumatize the child.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the principles of operant conditioning, refusing to give the child what he is asking for when he is having a tantrum is an example of extinction, which means that the behaviour will gradually decrease and eventually disappear. By not reinforcing the behaviour (i.e. giving in to the child's demands), the child will eventually learn that the behaviour is not effective in getting what he wants. It may take some time for the behaviour to be fully extinguished, but it is the most effective way to address tantrums in the long run.

According to the Principles of Operant Conditioning, Refusing to Give