Because of competing reinforcers like cup cakes, ribs, steak, and sitting on the couch watching the tube. So, while avoidance conditioning helps to explain some of our behavior, it doesn t explain everything. Now that you have a basic understanding of avoidance conditioning, let s apply it to the oppositional child. By controlling the household through the regular application of aversives, the oppositional child gains power. This allows the oppositional child to win many silent victories.
Parents become wary to confront the child.
As a result, the child may be allowed to stretch limits and occasionally break rules. To complete our understanding of the dynamics of the oppositional child we must again look to behavioral psychology and the concept of intermittent reinforcement. Research clearly shows that the use of intermittent reinforcement is a powerful tool in establishing a behavioral response. Psychologists are not the only people who understand this principle, just look a the gambling industry. All games of chance use this principle to entice patrons to spend their hard earned dollars.