Question

A student is used to getting the attention of the teacher by making annoying sounds. One day the teacher decides to ignore the sounds by showing no reaction. Based on behavioral theory, what would be the expected outcome, assuming the teacher's attention was the reinforcer?

Answer 1

The correct answer is The behavior will immediately increase in frequency, but then decrease over time.

Any type of stimulus or situation that occurs afterwards (contingent) the answer that increases the future probability of the response occurring. There are two types of reinforcing stimuli: A) Positive, not in the sense of good or bad, but in the sense of addition, we will have a positive reinforcer when the answer is followed by the addition of something, for example: I turn on the tap (answer), water falls (positive reinforcement stimulus), I tell a joke (response) my friends laugh (positive reinforcement stimulus), I do well in the test (response) and receive a compliment (positive reinforcement stimulus) there is always the addition of something, consequent the answer. B) Negative, too, not in the sense of good or bad, but significant the withdrawal of an event after the response, for example: I turn the fan (response) off the wind to (negative reinforcing stimulus), I put my finger on the socket (response) and quick shot when taking shock (negative reinforcing stimulus), etc.

Answer 2

Answer:

- The behavior will immediately increase in frequency, but then decrease over time.

Explanation:

As per the given description, the expected consequence(by assuming the teacher's attention being the reinforcer) would be 'the immediate increase in frequency of the behavior followed by a gradual decrease' as the reinforcer(teacher's attention) would first function to stimulate the frequency of such behavior as the student would show more interest in making sounds to get the desired outcome(attention) but eventually his behavior would decrease eventually as the teacher ignores those sounds. Thus, his 'behavior will immediately increase in frequency, but then decrease over time'.