A student completes a task in order to avoid having to do another disliked task. This demonstrates which function?

• A. Escape Function
• B. Access Function
• C. Attention Function
• D. Automatic Reinforcement

Answer: (A)

Escaping or avoiding an aversive demand is what's happening here. The student completes the task specifically to stop having to do the disliked follow-up task, so the consequence that reinforces the behavior is the removal of that unpleasant demand. This is negative reinforcement: the behavior is strengthened because it results in ending an aversive condition.

Think of it as the student learning that finishing the task lets them escape the other task they don’t want to do. The other options don’t fit as neatly: Access would involve getting something desirable, attention would involve gaining social interaction, and automatic reinforcement would come from the behavior producing its own sensory payoff—none of which are described by the scenario.