Pooja uses electric heater to avoid unpleasant cold weather. This is an example of:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Negative reinforcement
Option (1) Token economy — Incorrect. A token economy gives a person a token each time a wanted behaviour occurs; the tokens are exchanged later for a reward. Pooja earns nothing for using the heater.
Option (2) Positive reinforcement — Incorrect. Positive reinforcement adds something pleasant after a behaviour, such as a favourite dish after homework is done. Pooja’s behaviour is strengthened by taking an unpleasant thing away, not by gaining a pleasant one.
Option (3) Negative reinforcement — Correct. Responses that let a person get rid of, avoid or escape a painful stimulus provide negative reinforcement. Using an electric heater removes the unpleasant cold, so the behaviour is strengthened; one learns to burn firewood or use electric heaters for the same reason.
Option (4) Aversive conditioning — Incorrect. Aversive conditioning is the repeated association of an undesired response with an aversive consequence, as when an alcoholic gets a mild electric shock while smelling alcohol. It is used to remove a behaviour, while Pooja’s behaviour is being strengthened.
NCERT (2025-26): “Behavioural Techniques … 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. The positive reinforcement of food will increase the behaviour of doing homework at the appointed time. Persons with behavioural problems can be given a token as a reward every time a wanted behaviour occurs. The tokens are collected and exchanged for a reward such as an outing for the patient or a treat for the child. This is known as token economy.” |