In a home for troubled youth, adolescents receive large colored buttons when they hang up their clothes, make their beds, and come to meals on time. The adolescents return the buttons to staff members to receive bedtime snacks or watch TV. This best illustrates an application of

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The scenario described represents an example of operant conditioning, specifically positive reinforcement. The colored buttons serve as a reward for the desired behaviors of hanging up clothes, making beds, and arriving on time for meals. Returning the buttons to staff members results in further positive reinforcement in the form of bedtime snacks or TV time. This system is used to increase the likelihood of these behaviors being repeated in the future. Neither client-centered therapy, systematic desensitization, nor virtual reality exposure therapy are applicable to this particular scenario.

In a Home for Troubled Youth, Adolescents Receive Large Colored