Question

gary, a high-school student with no interest in academics, has started to study for four hours every week to avoid getting poor grades in school. this scenario is reflective of ______ in operant conditioning.

○ negative punishment
○ negative reinforcement
○ positive reinforcement
○ positive punishment

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze operant conditioning concepts:

• Negative reinforcement: Involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior. Gary studies to avoid (remove the aversive stimulus of) poor grades, increasing his study behavior.
• Negative punishment: Decreases behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus (not applicable here).
• Positive reinforcement: Increases behavior by adding a pleasant stimulus (Gary is not gaining a reward, but avoiding a negative outcome).
• Positive punishment: Decreases behavior by adding an aversive stimulus (not applicable, as Gary is increasing study behavior).

Answer:

B. negative reinforcement