Whenever Vernon comes home too late on a Saturday night, his parents refuse to give him his weekly allowance. Vernon's parents are using what technique to modify his behavior?

• A. Negative reinforcement
• B. Secondary reinforcement
• C. Punishment by application
• D. Punishment by removal

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of 'Punishment by removal': This is a behavioral technique where a desirable stimulus is removed following an undesirable behavior, with the aim of decreasing that behavior.
2. Identify the undesirable behavior: In this scenario, the undesirable behavior is Vernon coming home too late on a Saturday night.
3. Identify the desirable stimulus that is being removed: Vernon's weekly allowance is the desirable stimulus that is being removed.
4. Connect the scenario to the concept: Since Vernon's parents are removing his allowance (a desirable stimulus) to decrease the likelihood of him coming home late again, this aligns with the concept of 'Punishment by removal'.
5. Differentiate from other options: Negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior, and secondary reinforcement involves using a conditioned stimulus to reinforce behavior. Neither of these fit the scenario as accurately as 'Punishment by removal'.