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QuestionPsychology

"Which of the following is the best example of negative reinforcement? A. A child getting spanked for bad behavior B. A kindergarten student being put in ""time-out"" C. A teenager not being allowed to go to her friend's party D. A mother taking an aspirin to eliminate her headache E. A father getting a speeding ticket"
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Answer

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Step 1:
Let's solve this psychology problem step by step:

Step 2:
: Understanding Negative Reinforcement

Negative reinforcement is a learning technique where an unpleasant stimulus is removed to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior being repeated. The key is that something NEGATIVE is TAKEN AWAY to strengthen a behavior.

Step 3:
: Analyzing Each Option

A. A child getting spanked for bad behavior - This is punishment, not negative reinforcement - Punishment aims to decrease an undesired behavior - Incorrect choice B. A kindergarten student being put in "time-out" - This is also punishment - Designed to discourage unwanted behavior - Incorrect choice C. A teenager not being allowed to go to her friend's party - This is punishment, not negative reinforcement - Removes a privilege to discourage bad behavior - Incorrect choice D. A mother taking an aspirin to eliminate her headache - This is the BEST example of negative reinforcement - The unpleasant stimulus (headache) is removed by taking an action (taking aspirin) - The behavior (taking aspirin) is likely to be repeated to avoid future headaches - Meets the definition of negative reinforcement perfectly E. A father getting a speeding ticket - This is punishment - Does not remove an unpleasant stimulus - Incorrect choice

Final Answer

D (A mother taking an aspirin to eliminate her headache) is the best example of negative reinforcement.