An adult uses the ignore strategy for the first time with a child who pouts. How will the child's behavior, pouting, most likely change?
A) immediately decrease
B) stay about the same
C) get worse before it gets better
D) get worse for boys only
E) Researchers have not been able to determine what will likely happen in a case like this.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When an adult uses the ignore strategy for the first time with a child who pouts, the child's behavior is likely to get worse before it gets better. This is due to the extinction burst, a phenomenon where the behavior initially increases in frequency or intensity when it is no longer reinforced, before eventually diminishing.

An Adult Uses the Ignore Strategy for the First Time