Question

It is late and 3-year-old Betty is alone in her room. Her parents had just put her to bed not 10 minutes earlier. Her parents are quietly watching television downstairs. Betty begins to cry and after a short time the crying turns into more screaming than crying. Her parents hear her crying and screaming and run up to her room to see what is the matter. Her mother holds Betty in her arms and tells her she is alright. She stops after a few minutes, but when her parents leave her room, she starts crying again. Her father thought that it may be good to bring her down with them and let her lay on the couch while they watch television. Betty is quiet for the rest of the evening, falling asleep on the couch. Betty continues to cry each night for a week and each time her parents take her down to the living room with them until they go to bed or when she falls asleep. Betty's parents are concerned that she will be unable to sleep in her room anymore. Learning (i.e., operant conditioning) has taken place for Betty and her parents.

Explain how learning has taken place.

If Betty's parents asked you for advice (in operant conditioning terms) on how to get Betty to stay in her room and not cry, what would you tell them?

Answer 1

Operant conditioning has taken place in this context because Betty seeks contact with her parents even during nighttime. After several episodes wherein Betty was comforted after her crying and screaming spells, Betty has realised that this behaviour would lead to a desirable result, that is, being in the company of her parents. Her parents have thus unknowingly strengthened Betty’s behaviour by taking her with them in the living room.

I would ask Betty’s parents to refrain from reinforcing Betty’s behaviour as their company is what she perceived as a desirable outcome which she can seems to attain by causing a tantrum. For this, I would suggest a gradual weaning process wherein Betty maybe offered to sleep with her parents for some but not all nights of the week, and slowly reducing this till they are confident that Betty has learned to sleep by herself.