Question

What steps might you follow to experimentally determine whether a verbal reprimand is a punisher for a particular child?

Answer 1

To experimentally determine whether a verbal reprimand is a punisher for a particular child, follow these steps: identify the target behavior, establish a baseline, introduce the reprimand, observe and record the frequency of behavior, and analyze the data.

Step-by-step explanation:

To experimentally determine whether a verbal reprimand is a punisher for a particular child, you can follow these steps:

1. Identify the target behavior you want to decrease with the verbal reprimand.
2. Establish a baseline by observing and recording the frequency of the target behavior without any reprimand.
3. Introduce the verbal reprimand (e.g., a firm and clear statement indicating disapproval) following instances of the target behavior.
4. Observe and record the frequency of the target behavior after the introduction of the verbal reprimand.
5. Analyze the data to determine if there is a decrease in the frequency of the target behavior in the presence of the verbal reprimand. If there is a significant decrease, it suggests that the verbal reprimand is acting as a punisher for the particular child.