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

• A. A teenager's phone is taken away for breaking curfew.
• B. A dog stops barking when its owner ignores it.
• C. A child is sent to time-out for misbehaving.
• D. A student receives praise from the teacher after completing their homework.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of positive reinforcement in operant conditioning: it involves presenting a pleasant stimulus after a behavior to increase the likelihood of that behavior occurring again.
2. Review each option and identify whether the consequence following the behavior is adding something pleasant (positive reinforcement), removing something unpleasant (negative reinforcement), or applying a punishment.
3. For the option 'A teenager's phone is taken away for breaking curfew,' recognize that this is removing a pleasant stimulus as a consequence, which is a form of punishment, not reinforcement.
4. For the option 'A dog stops barking when its owner ignores it,' understand that ignoring the behavior removes attention, which is likely a form of extinction or negative punishment, not positive reinforcement.
5. For the option 'A student receives praise from the teacher after completing their homework,' identify that praise is a pleasant stimulus added after the behavior, which fits the definition of positive reinforcement.