A 12 year-old boy brings home a passing grade for a subject he previously failed. The father rewards him with a trip to the movies. This is an example of which of the following?

A 12 year-old boy brings home a passing grade for a subject he previously failed. The father rewards him with a trip to the movies. This is an example of which of the following?

• A. Aggressive conditioning.
• B. Passive conditioning.
• C. Assertive conditioning.
• D. Positive conditioning.

Answer: (D)

This is about positive reinforcement in operant conditioning. The father’s movie trip is a desirable consequence that follows the boy’s improvement in school performance. By awarding a reward after the better grade, the behavior of working toward improvement is strengthened, making it more likely the boy will repeat the effort to earn the reward again in the future. It’s adding something pleasant to increase a behavior, not punishing or removing something undesirable. The other terms listed don’t fit this situation because they imply different processes (punishment or removing aversive stimuli) rather than adding a rewarding consequence to reinforce a behavior.

This is about positive reinforcement in operant conditioning. The father’s movie trip is a desirable consequence that follows the boy’s improvement in school performance. By awarding a reward after the better grade, the behavior of working toward improvement is strengthened, making it more likely the boy will repeat the effort to earn the reward again in the future. It’s adding something pleasant to increase a behavior, not punishing or removing something undesirable. The other terms listed don’t fit this situation because they imply different processes (punishment or removing aversive stimuli) rather than adding a rewarding consequence to reinforce a behavior.