Seven-year-old Hilary's parents have paid her 50 cents every time she cleans up her room. Sue's parents have sometimes paid her 50 cents for cleaning her room, but frequently have not paid her. Now both sets of parents stop paying. Which girl will probably continue cleaning her room the longest, and why?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sue is more likely to continue cleaning her room for longer because she has been intermittently reinforced, meaning she was not always rewarded for her behavior. This type of reinforcement makes it more difficult for the behavior to become extinct because there is still a possibility of receiving a reward. In contrast, Hilary has only experienced continuous reinforcement, meaning she has always been rewarded for cleaning her room. Therefore, when the reward is taken away, her behavior is more likely to become extinct quickly.

Seven-Year-Old Hilary's Parents Have Paid Her 50 Cents Every Time