Final answer:
The ABCs of behavior is another name for the three-term contingency in psychology, relating to operant conditioning where behaviors are influenced by consequences like reinforcement and punishment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Another name for the three-term contingency in psychology is A. ABCs of behavior. This refers to the operant conditioning framework developed by B. F. Skinner, where 'A' stands for antecedent (the environment or initial condition), 'B' is for behavior (the action taken by the organism), and 'C' represents consequence (the outcome that either reinforces or punishes the behavior). In the operant conditioning paradigm, the terms positive and negative denote the addition or removal of a stimulus, while reinforcement and punishment indicate an increase or a decrease in a behavior, accordingly. Reinforcement, which can be either positive or negative, aims to increase the likelihood of the occurrence of a behavior, while punishment, also available as positive or negative, seeks to reduce that likelihood.
For example, positive reinforcement involves the introduction of a desirable stimulus to increase particular behaviors, such as giving a dolphin a fish after it performs a flip. On the other hand, negative reinforcement entails the removal of an aversive stimulus to enhance behavior, such as taking away a loud noise when a rat presses a lever in a Skinner box. Meanwhile, positive punishment might involve adding an unpleasant stimulus to decrease a behavior, and negative punishment involves taking away a pleasant stimulus for the same purpose.