Behavior Contrast

This term is used to describe a situation in which a behavior may occur differently given two different situations.  For example, Cindy bites her nails so badly that her cuticles start to bleed. Her parents are divorced so she spends one month at a time with either parent. Cindy’s mom scolds her every time she sees Cindy biting her nails, but her dad just “reminds” her to stop doing it when she is with him.  Given this, Cindy’s nail-biting behaviors are less likely to happen when she is with her mom and more so when she is with her dad.