Stephanie had successfully used extinction to eliminate her son's temper tantrums.However, several weeks later, her son threw another temper tantrum.Stephanie should be advised that
A) she should have used an intermittent punishment schedule to stop the temper tantrums.
B) spontaneous recoveries do occur and to continue ignoring the tantrums.
C) she should have used negative reinforcement to stop the temper tantrums.
D) her child will outgrow the tantrums in a few years.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Spontaneous recoveries can occur after an extinction procedure, meaning the behavior may reappear after a period of time without reinforcement. Stephanie should continue to ignore the tantrums and not reinforce the behavior in any way. It is not necessary to use punishment or negative reinforcement, and waiting for the behavior to naturally phase out as the child matures is not a reliable solution.

Stephanie Had Successfully Used Extinction to Eliminate Her Son's Temper