Vending machines typically are illuminated to signal to potential customers that they are in working order and able to deliver their products. Since most vending machines offer a number of product options (e.g., six kinds of soda), a little red light on an option's key panel is illuminated when that particular item is sold out. The little red light is a _______ and the product label is a _______ in a _______ discrimination.
A) target; feature; feature-negative
B) target; feature; feature-positive
C) feature; target; feature-negative
D) feature; target; feature-positive

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

feature; target; feature-negativeIn this context, the product label is the target of the discrimination task (the item the consumer is trying to select), and the little red light is a feature that indicates the absence of the target (sold out). Therefore, it's a feature-negative discrimination because the presence of the feature (the red light) signals the absence of the desired outcome (the product being available).

Vending Machines Typically Are Illuminated to Signal to Potential Customers