A teacher decides to use extinction on a child's behavior of complaining when he is asked to work on assignments.The teacher conducts a functional assessment to determine which events might be maintaining the behavior.In this case the teacher is considering whether she can:
A) eliminate the reinforcer
B) maintain consistency
C) identify the reinforcer
D) tolerate an extinction burst

Question

A teacher decides to use extinction on a child's behavior of complaining when he is asked to work on assignments.The teacher conducts a functional assessment to determine which events might be maintaining the behavior.In this case the teacher is considering whether she can:​
A) ​eliminate the reinforcer
B) ​maintain consistency
C) ​identify the reinforcer
D) ​tolerate an extinction burst

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The best choice is C because the teacher needs to identify the reinforcer that is maintaining the complaining behavior in order to effectively use extinction. This will involve observing the child's behavior and the events that happen before and after the behavior occurs. Eliminating the reinforcer (choice A) may not be possible if it is something that is necessary for the learning process, such as teacher attention or feedback. Maintaining consistency (choice B) is important in implementing any behavior change strategy, but it is not the primary focus of a functional assessment. Tolerating an extinction burst (choice D) may be necessary, but the first step in using extinction is to identify the reinforcer.

A Teacher Decides to Use Extinction on a Child's Behavior