B.F. Skinner defined a "reinforcer" as anything that causes a behavior to be repeated. Which of these situations reinforces undesirable behavior?
A) holding a competition to see who has the most organized cubby
B) giving a child a star for cleaning up the game area promptly when asked
C) promising a whining five year old a treat if he will stop whining and come along

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Promising a whining child a treat if he stops whining reinforces the undesirable behavior of whining, as the child learns that whining results in a reward.

BF Skinner Defined a "Reinforcer" as Anything That Causes a Behavior