Read the passage and answer the following questions:
Mrs. Sharma is a mother of two children aged 7 and 9 years. Both of them are very notorious and do not listen to her instructions. With every passing day, it is becoming difficult for her to regulate their behaviour. She is not able to discipline them, which she considers an important part of a successful life. One day, she comes across an article in which it is mentioned that if a mother observes behavioural issues in her child, she can apply a technique to modify the undesirable behavior of the child. According to this technique, Mrs. Sharma can give coupons to her children whenever they exhibit desirable behaviours. The coupons could later be exchanged by them for some tangible things such as candy, toys etc. Surprisingly, this technique worked very effectively with her children. In another article she came to know about another technique to modify behavior in which undesirable behavior can be reduced, and desirable behavior can be increased simultaneously.
Identify the technique from the following options in which undesirable behaviour can be reduced, and desirable behaviour can be increased simultaneously.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Differential reinforcement
Option (1) Positive reinforcement — Incorrect. Positive reinforcement is given when an adaptive behaviour occurs rarely, to increase that behaviour, as when a mother prepares the child’s favourite dish whenever the homework is done on time. On its own it builds up the wanted behaviour; it does nothing to reduce an unwanted one.
Option (2) Differential reinforcement — Correct. It works on two behaviours at once: it reduces the unwanted behaviour and increases the wanted one simultaneously. The wanted behaviour is positively reinforced while the unwanted one is either negatively reinforced or, less painfully and equally effectively, ignored. For Mrs. Sharma’s children, this would mean rewarding them when they follow instructions and giving no attention to their misbehaviour.
Option (3) Negative reinforcement — Incorrect. Responses that help a person get rid of, avoid or escape a painful stimulus provide negative reinforcement, as putting on woollen clothes avoids the cold. It is one technique of behaviour modification, but by itself it works on one behaviour only; it becomes part of differential reinforcement only when joined with positive reinforcement of the wanted behaviour.
Option (4) Punishment — Incorrect. Punishment gives an unpleasant consequence after an unwanted behaviour so that it occurs less often, such as scolding a child. It can reduce the unwanted behaviour, but it does not teach or increase a wanted one.
NCERT (2025-26): “Behavioural Techniques … Unwanted behaviour can be reduced and wanted behaviour can be increased simultaneously through differential reinforcement. Positive reinforcement for the wanted behaviour and negative reinforcement for the unwanted behaviour attempted together may be one such method. The other method is to positively reinforce the wanted behaviour and ignore the unwanted behaviour. The latter method is less painful and equally effective.…” |