Buhle's mother tells him to stop watching TV and do his homework. Ian then begins to whine about wanting to watch more TV to the point that his mother gives in and lets him watch more TV as long as he stops whining. Consequently, Buhle's whining behaviour increases in frequency. This sequence is best described as:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This sequence is an example of a negative reinforcement trap. Buhle's whining behavior was reinforced by his mother giving in and allowing him to watch more TV, thereby increasing the likelihood that he will whine again in the future in order to get what he wants. This is an example of negative reinforcement because Buhle's behavior resulted in the removal of an aversive stimulus (having to do his homework) and led to an increase in the frequency of that behavior.

Buhle's Mother Tells Him to Stop Watching TV and Do