A child touching a hot stove immediately withdraws his hand. In the future, the child avoids touching the stove. Avoiding the stove is an example of.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The child's behavior of avoiding touching the stove is an example of operant behavior because it is a voluntary action that has been shaped by the consequences of touching the stove. The immediate withdrawal of the hand after touching the stove is an example of respondent behavior, which is an automatic reflexive response to a specific stimulus. The stove itself could be seen as an establishing operation, which is a stimulus that alters the value of a consequence and affects the likelihood of behavior. Punishment would involve something unpleasant happening after the behavior that would decrease the likelihood of the behavior happening again, but the child's avoidance of the stove is not a punishment.

A Child Touching a Hot Stove Immediately Withdraws His Hand