You Have Two Options for How to Spend the Afternoon

question 11

Multiple Choice

You have two options for how to spend the afternoon. You can either go see a movie with your roommate or work as a tutor for the Math Department. From experience, you know that going to see a movie gives you $20 worth of enjoyment, and with your student discount, a movie ticket only costs $12. If you spend the afternoon working as a math tutor, you will get paid $45. On a typical day, you wouldn't be willing to spend the afternoon working as a math tutor for less than $35. What is your economic surplus from working as a math tutor instead of going to the movies?

• A)$8
• B)$2
• C)$12
• D)$10

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Definitions:

Negative Reinforcement

A behavioral principle where the removal of an unpleasant stimulus strengthens a behavior or increases the likelihood of its repetition.

Punishment

A method used to reduce or eliminate undesired behaviors by applying an unpleasant stimulus or removing a pleasant one in response to the behavior.

Withdrawal of Attention

The process by which individuals stop focusing their attention on a particular stimulus or task, leading to a decrease in the perceived importance or relevance of the stimulus.

Observational Learning

A learning process through which behaviors are acquired by observing and imitating others.