After getting cactus needles stuck in her hand, two-year-old Rachel no longer touches cactus plants. Using operant conditioning terms, this is an example of:
A) negative reinforcement.
B) higher order conditioning.
C) punishment by application.
D) punishment by removal.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of punishment by application, where an unpleasant stimulus (cactus needles) is added following a behavior (touching cactus plants), leading to a decrease in that behavior.

After Getting Cactus Needles Stuck in Her Hand, Two-Year-Old Rachel