Question

Maureen is learning French. According to the last component of observational learning, reinforcement, Maureen is more likely to learn more French if she:

a) Receives a reward every time she speaks French
b) Observes others being punished for speaking French
c) Receives a reward occasionally for speaking French
d) Experiences punishment occasionally for speaking French

Answer 1

Maureen is more likely to learn more French if she receives a reward occasionally for speaking French, as partial reinforcement effectively maintains behavior without leading to rapid extinction.The correct option is c.

Step-by-step explanation:

The last component of observational learning, according to operant conditioning, suggests that reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated in the future. In the context of language learning, Maureen is more likely to learn more French if she:

• Receives a reward occasionally for speaking French (c). This method refers to partial reinforcement, which can be very effective for maintaining behavior because it does not lead to a quick extinction of the learned behavior as can happen with continuous reinforcement.

Vicarious reinforcement also plays a role in observational learning, as seeing others being rewarded can increase the likelihood of the observer imitating that behavior. However, Maureen directly receiving rewards will have a stronger reinforcement effect.