Means-Tested Government Transfer Programs May Reduce Work Incentives Because

question 159

Multiple Choice

Means-tested government transfer programs may reduce work incentives because

• A)only lazy people participate in these programs.
• B)these programs actually pay people not to work.
• C)a family can live a very comfortable, middle-class lifestyle on welfare payments.
• D)for every additional dollar earned, welfare payments are reduced, effectively lowering the wage.
• E)these programs allow people to make money working only part-time.

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Definitions:

Reinforcement Schedules

Patterns or rates of providing or withholding reinforcers.

Respondent Behavior

Respondent behavior refers to automatic, reflexive responses to stimuli, as described in classical conditioning theories in psychology.

Operant Behavior

Behavior that is controlled by consequences, such as rewards or punishments.

Variable-Interval Schedule

A reinforcement schedule in operant conditioning where a behavior is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed.