Toya's young son, Troy, has a habit of nagging and throwing tantrums while in stores. Toya rarely gives in to Troy's tantrums, however, they still persist to her great frustration. Troy's behavior is an example of __________
A) effective punishment.
B) the partial-reinforcement effect.
C) the continuous-reinforcement phenomenon.
D) the extinction effect.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Troy's behavior is an example of the partial-reinforcement effect, which occurs when behaviors that are intermittently reinforced are more difficult to extinguish than those that are continuously reinforced. In this case, Troy's nagging and tantrums may have been reinforced in the past, even if only occasionally, leading to their persistence despite Toya's lack of giving in to them.

Toya's Young Son, Troy, Has a Habit of Nagging and Throwing