Maryann's mother asks her to go clean up her room, and Maryann promptly ignores the instruction. Her mother asks her again, and the outcome is the same. After a third attempt, this time with a bit of volume, Maryann starts whining that she doesn't want to clean up her room. Her mother finally gives up and says, "Fine, if you want to live in a filthy room, that's your choice." Maryann's mother has inadvertently increased the likelihood that Maryann will whine when asked to do a chore via the

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The negative reinforcement trap occurs when a person learns that they can avoid an aversive stimulus (in this case, Maryann can avoid cleaning her room) by engaging in a particular behavior (in this case, whining). Maryann's mother has inadvertently reinforced this behavior by giving up and allowing Maryann to avoid the chore. As a result, Maryann is now more likely to whine in the future when asked to do a chore.

Maryann's Mother Asks Her to Go Clean Up Her Room