To keep himself from getting mosquito bites when he mows the lawn, Kevin always sprays himself with an insect repellent before he starts mowing. Using operant conditioning terms, this is an example of:
A)positive reinforcement.
B)negative reinforcement by avoidance.
C)extinction.
D)negative reinforcement by escape.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kevin is using insect repellent to avoid the unpleasant experience of mosquito bites, which is an example of negative reinforcement by avoidance. He is not adding a pleasant stimulus (which would be positive reinforcement) or removing a pleasant stimulus (which would be punishment); instead, he is taking action to prevent an unpleasant experience from happening.

To Keep Himself from Getting Mosquito Bites When He Mows