15 ?of 19
Kaz wants to stop biting his nails, so he puts a bitter and foul-tasting liquid under his nails. If he tries to bite his nails, the liquid makes him recoil from the sensation. ?What technique is Kaz using to stop biting his nails?
? ?exposure therapy
extinction
negative reinforcement
aversive conditioning
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is aversive conditioning.
Explanation:
Aversive conditioning is a behavioral technique used to decrease or eliminate an undesirable behavior by associating it with something unpleasant. In Kaz’s case, he applies a bitter and foul-tasting liquid under his nails with the intention of making nail-biting an unpleasant experience. When he attempts to bite his nails, the bitter taste triggers a negative reaction, such as recoil or discomfort, which helps Kaz associate nail-biting with an unpleasant stimulus.
This process works by creating an aversion to the behavior, reinforcing the idea that the behavior (nail-biting) is followed by something unpleasant. Over time, the goal is to reduce the frequency of the behavior, as Kaz learns to avoid the bitter sensation by not biting his nails.
Comparison with Other Techniques:
- Exposure therapy: This technique involves gradually exposing the individual to the source of anxiety or fear in a controlled way, without the intention of pairing the behavior with something unpleasant. In Kaz’s case, exposure therapy would involve him being around his nails or even touching them repeatedly, but without the use of the bitter liquid. This is different from what Kaz is doing.
- Extinction: Extinction is a process where a behavior that was previously reinforced is no longer reinforced, leading to a decrease in that behavior. While Kaz may reduce nail-biting, his technique involves more than just removing reinforcement; it introduces a new, unpleasant stimulus to actively discourage the behavior.
- Negative reinforcement: Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to encourage a desired behavior. For instance, if Kaz were rewarded by not having the bitter taste when he refrains from biting his nails, it would be negative reinforcement. However, his approach involves the application of an aversive stimulus (the bitter liquid) to discourage the unwanted behavior, which is characteristic of aversive conditioning, not negative reinforcement.
Thus, Kaz’s method aligns best with aversive conditioning.