Tingstrom
Scenarios -- Set 2
PSY 374
14. John and Jim are in the TV room arguing over a program. Their mother comes in and immediately turns
the TV off and says that she will turn it on again when they have played nicely for 10 minutes. What two
processes has she used in order to achieve the results she wanted? Why would it be better to use the two
contingencies together rather than to use one alone?
Removal Punishment & Positive Reinforcement - Together the two procedures give alternative substitute
behavior which is incompatible with the fighting.
15. Paul is being sent to time-out for hitting his sister. "That's okay, I like it there" he says. His mother, in
exasperation, does not send him to time-out but merely yells at him for hitting. Why didn't the mother send
Paul to time-out? Was this a good decision? How could she be sure? What process is probably operating
on Paul's future likelihood of trying to avoid time-out in this way?
She probably thought Time-Out was reinforcing (based on what the child said). It probably wasn't a
good decision. She should probably go ahead and use Time-Out and look at its effects on the
child's behavior. Paul's behavior of trying to get out of Time-Out is negatively reinforced because
Time-Out is “taken away” when Paul protests.
16. What type of contingency would be operating when a school-phobic child gets suspended for fighting at
school? Would fighting be expected to increase or decrease? What might be a better penalty for someone
who finds school aversive?
Negative Reinforcement because school is essentially “removed” following the fighting. Fighting would be
expected to increase. Some kind of punishment procedure (perhaps Presentation Punishment) that
does not involve removal from school (i.e., after school detention).
17. After having some trouble in spelling, Sam studied very hard for a spelling test. As the next test
approaches, he has not yet gotten his grade from the earlier test. How might this lack of feedback affect the
chances that he will study for the next test? What process would be operating?
His studying may be extinguished, assuming that getting feedback is reinforcing (it is for many children,
unless getting his grade is punishing). It's important to provide feedback as soon as possible.
18. A teacher offered a prize to every student who finished his or her work for the day. After the students'
performance improved, she decided to give awards only to students who finished their work for the whole
week. After the first 3 days, she noticed that the students' performance had deteriorated. What process
was operating for these days? How might the teacher have avoided the decrease in performance?
She may have inadvertently given 3 days of extinction. She should take more gradual steps. Also, she
could give verbal reinforcers to "tide them over."
