When Thomas, an autistic boy, was ignored after instances of self-destructive behavior, his tendency to injure himself disappeared. The operant principle employed was nonreinforcement and will lead to which of the following occurring?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The principle of nonreinforcement leading to a decrease in a behavior is known as operant extinction. In this case, by ignoring Thomas's self-destructive behavior, the behavior was not reinforced, which over time led to its decrease or extinction.

When Thomas, an Autistic Boy, Was Ignored After Instances of Self-Destructive