Which of the following is an example of negative reinforcement in operant conditioning?

• A. A child receives a piece of candy for cleaning their room.
• B. A teenager is grounded for missing curfew.
• C. A student turns in homework on time to avoid being scolded by the teacher.
• D. A dog sits on command and is given a treat.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of negative reinforcement in operant conditioning: it involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior occurring again.
2. Analyze each option to identify whether it involves removing an unpleasant stimulus as a consequence of a behavior.
3. For the option 'A child receives a piece of candy for cleaning their room,' recognize this as positive reinforcement because a pleasant stimulus (candy) is added.
4. For the option 'A teenager is grounded for missing curfew,' identify this as punishment because an unpleasant consequence (grounding) is applied to decrease a behavior.
5. For the option 'A student turns in homework on time to avoid being scolded by the teacher,' note that the student is performing a behavior to remove or avoid an unpleasant stimulus (scolding), which fits the definition of negative reinforcement.