In what way do people sometimes make use of an operant-conditioning principle when they try to persuade someone to do something?

A) They set up a fixed-interval schedule of punishment.
B) They demonstrate the desired behavior and hope that the other person will imitate it.
C) They reinforce a small amount of cooperation and work up from there.
D) They set up one stimulus and then follow it immediately with another stimulus.

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sharine hatchett · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : C, Explanation :  People sometimes make use of operant-conditioning principles when they try to persuade someone to do something by reinforcing a small amount of cooperation and work up from there. This is known as shaping, and it is a commonly used technique in behavior modification. By reinforcing small steps towards the desired behavior, the person is gradually conditioned to perform the desired behavior more frequently and consistently. This is similar to the operant-conditioning principle of shaping in which a behavior is gradually shaped by reinforcing successive approximations towards the desired behavior.

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