This type of reinforcement refers to pairing an un-desired response with an unpleasant consequence. Identify the same.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Aversive conditioning
Option (1) Aversive conditioning — Correct. Aversive conditioning refers to repeated association of undesired response with an aversive consequence. An alcoholic is given a mild electric shock and asked to smell alcohol; with repeated pairings the smell becomes unpleasant and the person gives up alcohol.
Option (2) Positive Reinforcement — Incorrect. It is used to increase a wanted behaviour that occurs rarely, by following it with something pleasant, as when a mother prepares the child’s favourite dish whenever homework is done on time. It pairs a desired response with a pleasant consequence.
Option (3) Negative Reinforcement — Incorrect. Responses that lead organisms to get rid of, avoid or escape painful stimuli provide negative reinforcement, such as putting on woollen clothes to avoid the cold. It strengthens a response by removing something unpleasant; it does not attach an unpleasant result to an unwanted response.
Option (4) Classical conditioning — Incorrect. Pavlov’s classical conditioning is the general form of learning by association, in which a neutral stimulus comes to produce a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally produces it. The question asks for the particular behaviour-modification technique that pairs an undesired response with an unpleasant consequence.
NCERT (2025-26): “Behaviour Therapy … Negative reinforcement and aversive conditioning are the two major techniques of behaviour modification. As you have already studied in Class XI, responses that lead organisms to get rid of painful stimuli or avoid and escape from them provide negative reinforcement. For example, one learns to put on woollen clothes, burn firewood or use electric heaters to avoid the unpleasant cold weather. One learns to move away from dangerous stimuli because they provide negative reinforcement. Aversive conditioning refers to repeated association of undesired response with an aversive consequence. For example, an alcoholic is given a mild electric shock and asked to smell the alcohol. With repeated pairings the smell of alcohol is aversive as the pain of the shock is associated with it and the person will give up alcohol. If an adaptive behaviour occurs rarely, positive reinforcement is given to increase the deficit. For example, if a child does not do homework regularly, positive reinforcement may be used by the child’s mother by preparing the child’s favourite dish whenever s/he does homework at the appointed time.…” |