What Was the Result of Preston Brooks's Caning of Massachusetts

question 44

Multiple Choice

What was the result of Preston Brooks's caning of Massachusetts senator Charles Sumner in 1856?

• A) It settled a longstanding personal grievance between the men.
• B) It further inflamed sectional passions over the institution of slavery.
• C) It ended Sumner's long career in the Senate.
• D) It resulted in Brooks becoming an outcast in his home state of South Carolina.

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Definitions:

Negative Reinforcement

A behavioral concept where an unpleasant stimulus is removed following a desired behavior, increasing the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Positive Reinforcement

The addition of a rewarding stimulus following a desired behavior, making it more likely that the behavior will occur again.

Contingency

Describes a future event or circumstance that is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process in which the strength of a behavior is modified by its consequences, such as reward or punishment.