Question

Malcolm's two-year-old daughter throws a tantrum when she doesn't get what she wants. Malcolm has decided to ignore his daughter whenever she has a tantrum. This is an example of____________.

a) extinction
b) distancing
c) reinforcement of alternative behaviors
d) delayed reinforcement

Answer 1

Answer: a) extinction.

Explanation: Extinction is a phenomenon whereby behaviors naturally fade away or stop over time when there are not rewarded or reinforced. Extinction is a behavioral phenomenon whereby non-reinforced conditioned responses fade away over time.