Which principle states that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely and those followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely?

Which principle states that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely and those followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely?

• A. Reinforcement Principle
• B. Positive Reinforcement
• C. Law of Effect
• D. Extinction

Answer: (C)

Consequences shape behavior: when a behavior is followed by a favorable outcome, the likelihood of that behavior occurring again increases, while behaviors followed by an unfavorable outcome become less likely. This is Thorndike's Law of Effect, the principle that laid the groundwork for operant conditioning and explains how rewards strengthen actions and punishments deter them. The other terms describe parts of this idea in narrower ways: positive reinforcement focuses on adding a pleasant consequence to increase a behavior, extinction involves the decline of a behavior when reinforcement stops, and a Reinforcement Principle as a standalone label is less standard and incomplete in capturing both the increase and decrease based on consequences. So the statement matches the broad concept that behavior is shaped by the consequences that follow it.

Consequences shape behavior: when a behavior is followed by a favorable outcome, the likelihood of that behavior occurring again increases, while behaviors followed by an unfavorable outcome become less likely. This is Thorndike's Law of Effect, the principle that laid the groundwork for operant conditioning and explains how rewards strengthen actions and punishments deter them. The other terms describe parts of this idea in narrower ways: positive reinforcement focuses on adding a pleasant consequence to increase a behavior, extinction involves the decline of a behavior when reinforcement stops, and a Reinforcement Principle as a standalone label is less standard and incomplete in capturing both the increase and decrease based on consequences. So the statement matches the broad concept that behavior is shaped by the consequences that follow it.