Candice says that she smokes cigarettes to "calm her nerves." Samuel says that smoking a cigarette "helps him focus." In the language of operant conditioning, stress relief maintains smoking through _____. An improvement in focus maintains smoking through _____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stress relief is considered negative reinforcement because it removes the unpleasant state of stress, thus reinforcing the behavior (smoking) that removed it. Improvement in focus is considered positive reinforcement because it adds a desirable outcome (better focus), thus reinforcing the behavior.

Candice Says That She Smokes Cigarettes to "Calm Her Nerves