Tommy Has Obsessions About Cleanliness and Is a Compulsive Hand

question 135

Multiple Choice

Tommy has obsessions about cleanliness and is a compulsive hand washer.Which of the following pieces of evidence would support the view that his obsessive-compulsive disorder is related to operant conditioning?

• A) Tommy has been rewarded by his parents for hand washing many times, so he continues to engage in the behavior.
• B) Tommy sees his brother engage in compulsive hand washing, so he also engages in the behavior.
• C) Tommy experiences a large reduction in anxiety whenever he washes his hands, so he continues the behavior whenever he becomes anxious.
• D) Tommy believes that hand washing will prevent him from becoming sick.

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Definitions:

State of Nature Node

A decision analysis tool used to represent possible future events or outcomes in decision making under uncertainty.

State of Nature

A term used in decision theory and statistics to describe possible outcomes in a situation which are not under the control of the decision-maker.

Maximax Criterion

A decision-making strategy that seeks to maximize the maximum possible payoff, focusing on the most optimistic scenario.

Decision Under Certainty

A decision-making situation in which all relevant information is known and future outcomes are predictable.