Below are four situations in which a behavior is being imitated. Only one of them can be explained from an instrumental conditioning perspective. Which one?
A) Ann sees all the attention her older sister gets for playing varsity basketball. She is too short to make the varsity basketball team, so she works hard to gain a spot on the varsity softball team.
B) A few days after watching a gourmet chef make chocolate mousse on television, Bill tries making mousse in his own kitchen.
C) Carlos throws a football the way he saw a well-known football quarterback do it on television.
D) Immediately after she watches her teacher demonstrate how to use a microscope, Debbie uses it correctly and is praised by her teacher for doing so.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This situation involves learning through observation and imitation, but the behavior is being reinforced by the positive feedback and praise from the teacher. This can be explained from an instrumental conditioning perspective, where the positive reinforcement strengthens the behavior of correctly using the microscope. A, B, and C involve observational learning and imitation, but not reinforcement or conditioning.

Below Are Four Situations in Which a Behavior Is Being