Which term describes reinforcement provided by another person that is two words long?

Which term describes reinforcement provided by another person that is two words long?

• A. Contingency
• B. Socially mediated
• C. Extinction
• D. Punishment

Answer: (B)

Reinforcement delivered by another person through social interaction is described as socially mediated. This means the person provides the reinforcing consequence—praise, attention, approval—through their involvement, rather than the reinforcement arising automatically from the environment or from the individual's own actions. An example is a teacher praising a student for raising their hand or staying on task; the praise comes from someone else and reinforces the behavior through social means. Why this fits best: the key idea is that another person is the source of the reinforcement, and it happens via social interaction. The other terms describe different ideas: contingency is about the relation between behavior and its consequence, extinction is the disappearance of a behavior when reinforcement stops, and punishment is a consequence that aims to reduce a behavior. None of those specify that the reinforcement is provided by another person through social means.

Reinforcement delivered by another person through social interaction is described as socially mediated. This means the person provides the reinforcing consequence—praise, attention, approval—through their involvement, rather than the reinforcement arising automatically from the environment or from the individual's own actions. An example is a teacher praising a student for raising their hand or staying on task; the praise comes from someone else and reinforces the behavior through social means.

Why this fits best: the key idea is that another person is the source of the reinforcement, and it happens via social interaction. The other terms describe different ideas: contingency is about the relation between behavior and its consequence, extinction is the disappearance of a behavior when reinforcement stops, and punishment is a consequence that aims to reduce a behavior. None of those specify that the reinforcement is provided by another person through social means.