Which of the following is an example of vicarious punishment?

• A. A child receives a treat after cleaning their room.
• B. A dog salivates when it hears a bell that has been paired with food.
• C. A student observes a classmate being scolded for talking during a lecture and decides not to talk in class to avoid being scolded.
• D. A person learns to ride a bicycle by watching instructional videos.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of vicarious punishment. Vicarious punishment occurs when an individual learns to decrease or avoid a behavior after observing someone else being punished for that behavior.
2. Step 2: Review each option and identify whether it involves learning through observing the consequences of another person's behavior.
3. Step 3: The first option describes direct reinforcement (a child receiving a treat), which is not vicarious punishment because the child experiences the consequence directly.
4. Step 4: The second option involves classical conditioning (dog salivating to a bell), which is unrelated to vicarious punishment as it does not involve observing punishment.
5. Step 5: The third option describes a student observing a classmate being scolded and then deciding not to talk to avoid punishment, which fits the definition of vicarious punishment because the student learns from observing the consequences faced by another.