Which option describes positive reinforcement?

• A. Someone smiles at you when you hold the door for him
• B. Someone scolds you for talking in class
• C. A teacher removes a misbehavior consequence
• D. A parent removes a privilege

Answer: (A)

Positive reinforcement happens when a pleasant consequence is added after a desired behavior, increasing the likelihood that the behavior will happen again. In this example, when you hold the door and someone smiles, the smile is a pleasant social reward that follows the courteous act, making you more likely to hold the door again in the future. The other scenarios involve removing or withholding something to discourage behavior (scolding is an aversive cue after talking in class; removing a privilege or a misbehavior consequence takes away something desirable), which are different forms of operant conditioning and do not describe reinforcement. So the smile after you hold the door best illustrates positive reinforcement.