A woman wears a new dress to work. The men a work laugh a...

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Answer by roffe
Submitted on 10/26/2003
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it's not an example of either, since it is not stated if and how the women's behavior changed. as in all cases of behavior in the world, any behavioral change can be caused by a number of consequences, some over, some covert. nevertheless, if she quit wearing that dress, or quit wearing new dresses, or quit coming to work, then the laughter may have been an example of punishment. if she continued using it, then the laughter may have had no effect and no conditioning took place. if her frequency of wearing new dresses (and particularly dresses similar to the one in the example) increased, then the laughter would be an example of positive reinforcement and the woman possibly viewed as a bit odd. etc. etc. etc.

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Question by Arlene
Submitted on 10/17/2003
Related FAQ: Psychology: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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A woman wears a new dress to work. The men a work laugh a her. In terms of operant conditioning, is this an example of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, or punishment?

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