Question

A patient who receives praise for having healthy gums during two routine dental hygiene appointments will be more likely to maintain good home care to ensure that the praise will continue at subsequent appointments. This theory is called

a. Classical conditioning
b. Operant conditioning
c. Modeling
d. Empowerment

Answer 1

The theory is called operant conditioning, where behaviors are reinforced with positive consequences, encouraging repetition of the behaviors.

Step-by-step explanation:

The theory is called operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is a type of associative learning where a behavior is followed by a consequence, and a pleasant consequence makes that behavior more likely to be repeated in the future. In the context of the question, the patient receives praise (a form of positive reinforcement) for having healthy gums, which in turn increases the likelihood that the patient will maintain good dental hygiene practices to ensure future praise. This is a prime example of how positive reinforcement can be used to encourage desired behaviors, as supported by this learning theory.