Correct Answer: C \u2013 Increases the tendency to make a particular response.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n B.F. Skinner, a prominent behaviorist, is best known for his work on operant conditioning. According to Skinner, behavior is shaped and maintained by its consequences. In this context, a reinforcer<\/strong> is any stimulus that increases the likelihood<\/strong> that a particular behavior will occur again in the future. This definition is crucial: it is the effect<\/em> of the stimulus on behavior that determines whether it is a reinforcer, not its inherent qualities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Option C<\/strong> is correct because it reflects Skinner\u2019s functional approach: a stimulus is a reinforcer if and only if<\/strong> it increases the probability of the behavior that it follows. For example, if giving a dog a treat after it sits increases the frequency of the dog sitting on command, then the treat functions as a reinforcer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Options A<\/strong> and B<\/strong> reflect earlier theories of motivation and reinforcement, such as drive-reduction theory and hedonism. While reducing a biological need (A) or producing pleasure (B) may sometimes function as reinforcers, they do not define reinforcement in Skinner\u2019s system. For instance, not all pleasurable or need-reducing stimuli necessarily increase behavior. Skinner emphasized that we cannot determine in advance what will serve as a reinforcer\u2014we must observe its effect on behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Option D<\/strong>, \u201cdecreases the tendency to make a particular response,\u201d describes punishment<\/strong>, not reinforcement. A punisher<\/strong> is a stimulus that decreases the likelihood of a behavior occurring again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In summary, Skinner\u2019s behavioral approach is empirical and outcome-based. A reinforcer is identified by its effect\u2014specifically, whether it increases the frequency of a behavior. This understanding forms the foundation for behavior modification techniques widely used in education, therapy, and animal training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Skinner, a stimulus is a reinforcer if it A reduces a biological need in a person or nonhuman animal. B results in a pleasurable feeling for the person or nonhuman animal. C increases the tendency to make a particular response. D decreases the tendency to make a particular response. The Correct Answer and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-226497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exams-certification"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=226497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226497\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=226497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=226497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=226497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Explanation <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"