During hospitalization, an attention-seeking client has repeatedly cut herself. After threatening to cut herself again, the nurse states, "Here are some Band-Aids so you won't bleed on the sheets"

Question

Which is the underlying reason for this nurse's response? A. The nurse is using an aversive stimulus in response to the client's manipulative cutting behavior.
B. The nurse is using negative reinforcement in response to the client's behavior.
C. The nurse is minimizing reinforcement of the client's manipulative behavior with the goal of extinction.
D. The nurse lacks empathy for the client's recurring self-injurious behavior.

Answer 1

C
Extinction is the gradual decrease in frequency or disappearance of a response when a positive reinforcement is withheld. The nurse is withholding attention to the client who is exhibiting manipulative, attention-seeking behavior. The lack of positive response (attention) should cause extinction of the undesired behavior.