Both existing cache response cost and bonus response cost are likely to be equally aversive to an individual.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not enough information
• D. Both are equally aversive

Answer: (B)

The only thing that makes a response cost feel aversive is how the loss is arranged for the person right now. An existing cost is something already tied to past behavior and may become less salient once the learner has adjusted. A bonus response cost adds a new, immediate penalty that is directly tied to the current choice to misbehave or not engage in the target behavior. Because this additional loss directly competes with earning reinforcement and can be experienced as a fresh, salient consequence, it is typically more aversive than the background, already-accumulated cost. Whether the bonus cost is more or less aversive than the existing cost also depends on factors like how large the bonus is, how quickly it is applied, and the person’s motivation to obtain reinforcement. So they are not automatically equally aversive.