Tantrums

Definition

Tantrums are intense emotional outbursts characterized by crying, screaming, kicking, and other disruptive behaviors that young children may engage in when they feel frustrated or unable to cope with a situation.

Related terms

Reinforcement:

The process in operant conditioning where certain behaviors are strengthened or increased by the addition of rewards or removal of aversive stimuli.

Extinction:

In operant conditioning, extinction occurs when a previously reinforced behavior no longer results in the desired outcome, causing it to decrease or stop completely.

Shaping:

A technique used in operant conditioning where behaviors are gradually modified by reinforcing successive approximations towards the desired behavior.