Your sister Kumi is having problems with her 2-year-old daughter. Your niece, Kayla, has been throwing tantrums to get her own way

As you watch Kumi and Kayla interact, you see that Kumi will say "no" to Kayla, Kayla will scream and cry, and then Kumi will give in to her. What can you tell Kumi about the principles of operant conditioning that might help her deal with the situation?
What will be an ideal response?


A good answer will be similar to the following:
You should tell Kumi that reinforcement is a consequence that increases the future likelihood of the behavior that it follows. Reinforcers can include food, candy, toys, or getting your own way. By giving in to Kayla, Kumi is reinforcing her tantrums and increasing the likelihood that Kayla will throw another tantrum. Instead, Kumi should be punishing Kayla's tantrums because punishment decreases the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated. Punishments can include things such as being sent to one's room, having privileges taken away, or having a toy taken away. So, Kumi should stop reinforcing Kayla's tantrums by giving in to her.

Psychology

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