Ace the ABAT Challenge 2025 – Boost Your Behavioral Superpowers!

Reinforcement is fundamentally defined as the process of delivering a consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated in the future. This concept is rooted in behaviorism, where behaviors followed by favorable outcomes tend to be strengthened. When a stimulus is presented after a behavior and it leads to an increase in that behavior, reinforcement has occurred.

In this context, the correct choice refers to reinforcement specifically as it is applied in behavioral analysis. For example, if a child receives praise (a positive consequence) after completing their homework, the likelihood that the child will complete homework in the future increases due to the positive reinforcement.

The other options address different behavioral concepts. The first option describes a process that is aligned with punishment rather than reinforcement, aiming to decrease behavior through unfavorable outcomes. Similarly, the second option also pertains to punishment by delivering a consequence to deter behavior. The last option describes a behavior management technique known as extinction, which involves ignoring undesirable behavior to reduce its occurrence. None of these options capture the essence of reinforcement, which is characterized by consequences that promote the repetition of the desired behavior.