Which of the following is an example of vicarious reinforcement? Oark wants to avoid detention, so he follows the school rules and does not smoke on the playground. Babs saw Martin receive a candy bar for completing his reading list. She is careful to complete her reading list because she saw Martin get a reward for doing it. Lana wants to receive a candy bar and she knows from reading the rulebook that she will receive one if she earns enough good behavior tokens. Ryan observes Cameron getting a time out for spitting out her toast. Because he saw his friend punished, he does not spit out his toast.

Babs saw Martin receive a candy bar for completing his reading list. She is careful to complete her reading list because she saw Martin get a reward for doing it. This scenario illustrates vicarious reinforcement because Babs learns from Martin's experience and adjusts her behavior accordingly, motivated by the reward she observed him receive. The concept of vicarious reinforcement was popularized by psychologist Albert Bandura, who conducted the famous Bobo doll experiment. In this experiment, children observed adults being rewarded for aggressive behavior towards a doll. They later mimicked this behavior, demonstrating that people can learn and be influenced not just by direct consequences but also by watching others! It's a fascinating peek into how social learning shapes our actions.