What is likely to happen when an adult uses the ignore strategy with a child who pouts?

When an adult employs the ignore strategy with a child who is pouting, it is likely that the child's pouting behavior will intensify. This is rooted in the understanding of child behavior and emotional responses. Children often resort to pouting as a way to express displeasure or to seek attention when they feel misunderstood or neglected. By ignoring the behavior, the adult inadvertently reinforces it, as the child may escalate their display of emotions in an effort to elicit a response.

Ignoring can lead to increased frustration in the child, who may feel that their feelings are not being acknowledged. In turn, this can cause them to pout even more as they seek to gain the attention that they are lacking. This process illustrates the principles of behavioral reinforcement; the absence of response can lead to stronger expressions of the same behavior.

Ultimately, a more effective approach may involve addressing the child's emotions directly and guiding them on alternative ways to express their feelings, thus reducing the pouting behavior over time.