when attempting to modify a child's behavior using negative reinforcement, the desire result is that the child will:
A) Withdraw from certain social activities
B) Not argue with adults
C) Repeat behavior for which they get the desired results
D) Avoid behaviors that carry undesirable consequences.
When attempting to modify a child's behavior using negative reinforcement, the desired result is that the child will:
D) Avoid behaviors that carry undesirable consequences.
To understand why this is the desired result when using negative reinforcement, let's first clarify what negative reinforcement is. Negative reinforcement involves the removal or avoidance of an unpleasant or aversive stimulus in order to strengthen a behavior. In other words, negative reinforcement is used to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior by removing or reducing something that the child finds undesirable.
In the context of modifying a child's behavior, negative reinforcement can be applied by associating the removal of an aversive consequence with the desired behavior. For example, if a child regularly throws tantrums to avoid doing homework, a negative reinforcement strategy might involve eliminating the homework task whenever the child demonstrates appropriate behavior, such as completing other responsibilities first.
The desired result in this case is that the child would learn to avoid behaviors that carry undesirable consequences, such as throwing tantrums. Instead, they would be more likely to engage in the desired behavior, such as completing their homework, in order to avoid the negative consequence (in this case, having to do additional work or missing out on leisure activities).
Therefore, option D) "Avoid behaviors that carry undesirable consequences" is the correct answer.