DSSSB Public Health Nurse - 2015
Applied Psychology
Easy
A very useful principle of learning is that a new response is strengthened by?
Appeared in: DSSSB Public Health Nurse - 2015
Explanation
- Reinforcement is a fundamental principle of operant conditioning where a consequence following a behavior makes that behavior more likely to occur in the future.
- The core function of reinforcement is to strengthen a response, increasing its frequency, duration, or likelihood.
- This can be achieved through positive reinforcement (adding a desirable stimulus) or negative reinforcement (removing an aversive stimulus).
- For example, praising a patient for taking their medication on time (positive reinforcement) increases the likelihood they will continue to do so.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Punishment has the opposite effect of reinforcement; it weakens or decreases the likelihood of a behavior occurring again.
- Option C: Biofeedback is a specific therapeutic technique where individuals learn to control physiological processes (like heart rate or muscle tension) using feedback from electronic devices. It is a form of learning but not the general principle that strengthens all new responses.
- Option D: A stimulus is an event or object that elicits a response. It is the antecedent (trigger) for a behavior, not the consequence that strengthens it.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Principles of Learning: Operant Conditioning as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Nurses use reinforcement principles daily in patient education and care. For example, providing positive feedback to a patient who successfully ambulates after surgery encourages them to continue with their recovery plan.
- Understanding these principles helps in managing patient behavior, promoting adherence to treatment regimens, and teaching new health-related skills.
- What if the goal was to stop a patient from a harmful behavior, like smoking in a non-smoking area? The nurse would use punishment (e.g., a verbal warning or reporting the infraction) or negative punishment (e.g., temporarily restricting privileges) to weaken the behavior, rather than reinforcement.
How to Approach the Question
- First, analyze the keywords in the question: 'principle of learning', 'new response', and 'strengthened'.
- The keyword 'strengthened' is the most critical clue. It points directly to a concept that increases the likelihood of a behavior.
- Recall the basic theories of learning, specifically operant conditioning by B.F. Skinner.
- Evaluate the options based on this theory: Reinforcement strengthens behavior, while punishment weakens it.
- A stimulus is a trigger for a response, not what strengthens it. Biofeedback is a specific application, not a general principle.
- Therefore, 'Reinforcement' is the only option that directly aligns with the concept of strengthening a response.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Principles of Learning: Operant Conditioning
- Stem keywords: principle of learning, new response, strengthened
- Lead-in keywords: is
- Negative lead-in flag: false
Question ID
QbKMe-xWmAJPSGv0KAtjxz
Reference Book
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 12689-12691
E6 Psychology Morgan King 9e Part 1 p. 165-167
E6 Psychology Baron Misra 5e Part 1 p. 185-187
Practise the full DSSSB Public Health Nurse - 2015
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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