Final answer:
Jeff's experience illustrates operant conditioning, where the negative punishment of taking away his food for playing with it teaches him to not engage in that behavior at the dinner table in the future.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jeff's experience of having his food taken away by his mother as a consequence for playing with it is a classic example of operant conditioning. In operant conditioning, behaviors are shaped by the consequences that follow them. When Jeff's food is taken away, it serves as a form of negative punishment, which is intended to decrease the behavior of playing with food. As a result, Jeff is likely to learn that if he wants to keep his food, he should not play with it at the table.
Reinforcement and punishment are key components of operant conditioning. In this scenario, the removal of the food acts as a negative punishment because the removal of a desirable stimulus (the food) following the behavior (playing with the food) decreases the likelihood that the behavior will occur again. Over time, Jeff will associate not playing with his food with the ability to enjoy his meal without interruption, which will shape his future behavior at the dinner table.