Final answer:
"It's time to clean up" is an c. antecedent for the toddler's tantrum, as it precedes and triggers the behavior. Devon's subsequent response provides negative reinforcement for the tantrum.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Devon, the preschool teacher, says, "It's time to clean up!" and the toddler responds by crying loudly and hitting, this phrase becomes an antecedent to the toddler's tantrum. An antecedent is something that occurs before a behavior and may trigger that behavior. In this situation, Devon's cue to clean up serves as the trigger for the toddler's tantrum response. Afterward, allowing the toddler one more minute of free play could act as a form of negative reinforcement, as it temporarily removes the undesirable demand (clean up), reinforcing the toddler's crying and hitting behaviors. Hence, the correct answer is "c. Antecedent". To effectively modify behavior using techniques like time-out, caregivers have to ensure the child is removed from a desirable activity and placed in a less desirable location, following guidelines that help the child understand the structure and expectations associated with the behavior modification technique.