In the scenario of Katherine and her mother, what reinforces Katherine's behavior of whining?

The reinforcement of Katherine's whining behavior in this scenario can be understood through the concept of negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior is strengthened because it results in the removal, avoidance, or diminishment of an aversive stimulus. In this case, Katherine's whining likely leads her mother to address her demands or discomfort, thus relieving Katherine of the unpleasant feelings associated with her situation. As a result, Katherine learns that whining is an effective way to achieve a desired outcome—her needs being met—by eliminating the source of distress or discomfort.

This is distinct from positive reinforcement, which involves adding a pleasurable stimulus following a behavior to increase its occurrence. Extinction refers to the process where a behavior is reduced because it is no longer reinforced, while punishment involves introducing an aversive consequence after a behavior, making it less likely to occur in the future. In Katherine's situation, since her whining leads to a positive change for her (getting what she wants), the behavior is reinforced negatively, as the distress she experiences is alleviated.