Question

During summer camp, campers get a sticker each time they demonstrate good sportsmanship. When they have earned 10 stickers, they may select a candy bar. This represents an example of

a) Operant conditioning
b) Classical conditioning
c) Observational learning
d) Social facilitation

Answer 1

The situation described, where campers earn stickers for good sportsmanship and obtain a candy bar after collecting them, exemplifies operant conditioning, a learning process through which behavior is shaped by reinforcement or punishment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept described in the question, where campers receive a sticker each time they demonstrate good sportsmanship and can select a candy bar after earning 10 stickers, represents operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is a type of associative learning where behaviors are modified by their consequences. B. F. Skinner was a major proponent of operant conditioning and demonstrated that the behavior of organisms, including humans, could be shaped through reinforcement and punishment.

In this example, campers are motivated to demonstrate good behavior through positive reinforcement with the expectation of earning a reward, which in this case is a candy bar.