Final answer:
Removing social interaction from an animal as a way to influence behavior is an example of negative punishment, which aims to decrease the occurrence of a behavior by taking away a positive stimulus.
Step-by-step explanation:
Removing social interaction from an animal to influence behavior is not an example of positive reinforcement. Instead, this is an example of negative punishment, which is one of the four primary methods of operant conditioning. Negative punishment involves the removal of a pleasant or desired stimulus to decrease the likelihood of a certain behavior being repeated. The aim of negative punishment is to discipline or modify behavior, not to increase or strengthen it, as is the aim of positive reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement refers to adding a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior which can be demonstrated by rewarding dolphins with food for performing certain behaviors. This method strengthens the association between the action and the reward. On the other hand, negative punishment, by taking away something valued, like social contact in the case of animals, aims to decrease the frequency of an unwanted behavior.