Final answer:
In order for a group to earn reinforcement, all individuals must meet the criterion of the established contingency. This means that everyone in the group must fulfill the requirements or achieve the desired outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Neil Smelser's (1962) meticulous categorization of crowd behavior, called value-added theory, is a perspective within the functionalist tradition based on the idea that several conditions must be in place for collective behavior to occur. Each condition adds to the likelihood that collective behavior will occur. The first condition is structural conduciveness, which occurs when people are aware of the problem and have the opportunity to gather, ideally in an open area. Structural strain, the second condition, refers to people's expectations about the situation at hand being unmet, causing tension and strain. The next condition is the growth and spread of a generalized belief, wherein a problem is clearly identified and attributed to a person or group.
In order for the group to earn reinforcement, all of the individuals in a group must meet the criterion of the established contingency. This means that every member of the group must meet the requirements or accomplish the desired outcomes for the group to receive reinforcement.
An example of this can be seen in a classroom setting. Imagine a teacher giving a group project to their students. The criterion for earning reinforcement in this case could be that each student in the group must contribute equally to the project and achieve a certain level of quality in their work. If all the students meet this criterion, the entire group will receive reinforcement, such as a high grade or positive feedback.