Question

What do the authors say about target behaviors that will meet naturally existing contingencies? What does this mean? Provide some examples.

Answer 1

The given statement in question can better be understand through an example. Lets take an example. Suppose there is a boy. His parents wants him to dedicate more and more time on mathematics. Boy is more interested in playing football. He runs away from mathematics.

One day a quiz takes place at his school. Accidently he scores well and earns a good amount of reward. He gains huge respect from his colleagues and teachers. This ignites his interest in mathematics. He starts solving more and more numerical.

Raising interest in mathematics was the target behavior for his parents. He will keep on practicing maths till he enjoys it and gains praise(reinforcement) from others. A target behavior is something which remains in focus in order to change it.

We may wish that a child must avoid a specific behavior. We may also wish that a child must adopt a specific behavior. That specific behavior will be considered as the target behavior. Various strategies are being adopted in order to achieve or to avoid a specific behavior.

Natural existing contingencies are something which talks about either reinforcement or about a punishment. If these reinforcement and punishments occur without involvement of any person and such efforts take place independently then this is being called as natural existing contingencies.

Natural existing contingencies may work effectively for a learner only and only up-to a time period till a learner feel reinforcement.