When seeking special privileges,a child always chooses to ask the mother rather than the father.The father is more apt to disagree with the child's requests,whereas the mother usually consents.Which component of operant conditioning explains the child's choice?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Discriminative stimuli are signals that indicate when specific behaviors will be reinforced. In this case, the child has learned through experience that asking their mother for special privileges is more likely to result in a positive reinforcement (getting what they want) than asking their father. Therefore, the mother's presence and behavior serve as a discriminative stimulus for the child to request special privileges.

When Seeking Special Privileges,a Child Always Chooses to Ask the Mother