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

• A. A child is scolded for drawing on the walls.
• B. A student receives praise from a teacher after turning in homework on time.
• C. A teenager loses video game privileges for missing curfew.
• D. A dog is ignored after barking excessively.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of reinforcement contingency in operant conditioning: it involves a behavior followed by a consequence that increases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again.
2. Identify the behavior and consequence in each option to see if the consequence strengthens the behavior.
3. For the option 'A child is scolded for drawing on the walls,' note that scolding is a punishment, which aims to decrease the behavior, so this is not reinforcement.
4. For the option 'A student receives praise from a teacher after turning in homework on time,' recognize that praise is a positive consequence that increases the likelihood of the student turning in homework again, which fits reinforcement.
5. For the other options, 'A teenager loses video game privileges for missing curfew' and 'A dog is ignored after barking excessively,' both involve consequences that aim to reduce behavior (punishment or extinction), so they are not examples of reinforcement.