A client has come to me for assessment of their child's aggressive behavior. The operational definition I would use for aggression is any physical or verbal behavior that is intended to harm another person. This could involve hitting, kicking, biting, spitting, or name-calling. I would measure the aggression by keeping a tally of how many times the child engaged in each type of behavior over the course of a week.

Step-by-step explanation

• The client has come to me for assessment of their child's aggressive behavior. The operational definition I would use for aggression is any physical or verbal behavior that is intended to harm another person, either physically or emotionally. This could involve hitting, kicking, biting, spitting, or name-calling. I would measure the aggression by keeping a tally of how many times the child engaged in each type of behavior over the course of a week.
• The aggression could have been established through social-positive reinforcement in a number of ways. For example, the child may have learned that they get attention from their parents when they act aggressively. They may also have learned that they get what they want from other people if they act aggressively. In other words, the child may have learned that aggression pays off.
• The aggression could also have been established through social-negative reinforcement. For example, the child may have learned that they can make other people go away by acting aggressively. They may also have learned that they can get out of doing things they don't want to do by acting aggressively. In other words, the child may have learned that aggression gets rid of things they don't like.