The toddler knew if he held his breath his parents would yield to his demands. But this time they returned to their newspapers and gave the child no further notice. These parents were engaging in ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Extinction is a behavior modification technique that involves ignoring a previously reinforced behavior. In this scenario, the parents are not reinforcing (giving attention to) the child's behavior of holding his breath, so it eventually stops because it is no longer effective in getting the desired response from the parents.

The Toddler Knew If He Held His Breath His Parents