A POSITIVE PUNISHMENT procedure in which someone physically intervenes as soon as the learner begins to emit a problem behavior to prevent completion of the targeted behavior.

• A. Response Blocking
• B. Response Cost
• C. Respondent Behavior
• D. Repertoire

Answer: (A)

Response blocking is a procedure where you physically intervene at the moment the learner begins the targeted behavior, preventing it from being completed. This immediate interruption acts as the consequence that reduces the likelihood of the behavior occurring again, which is why it’s classified as a positive punishment technique. The key idea is that the action prevents the reinforcement or outcome that would follow if the behavior were completed, thereby decreasing future occurrences. This differs from removing a reinforcer after a behavior (response cost), from automatic, reflexive responses (respondent behavior), or from the learner’s overall set of skills (repertoire). Blocking the response as soon as it starts best fits the described scenario.