Allen, who was bullied as a child, feels anxious whenever he sees a gang of teenagers walking toward him. As a result, he usually crosses the street so that he does not have to walk past them. This example best illustrates the _____.
A) Premack principle
B) two-process theory of avoidance
C) latent inhibition effect
D) species-specific defense reaction theory

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The two-process theory of avoidance explains how Allen's behavior is maintained. Initially, his anxiety in response to seeing a gang of teenagers (a conditioned stimulus) is reduced by crossing the street (an avoidance behavior), reinforcing this behavior through negative reinforcement. This theory combines classical conditioning (learning to associate teenagers with anxiety) and operant conditioning (learning that avoiding teenagers reduces anxiety).

Allen, Who Was Bullied as a Child, Feels Anxious Whenever