Which term covers the use of positive reinforcement to encourage desirable behaviour?

Which term covers the use of positive reinforcement to encourage desirable behaviour?

• A. Social control
• B. Stereotype
• C. Status
• D. Rewards

Answer: (D)

Positive reinforcement uses rewards to encourage desirable behavior. When someone receives a reward for doing something good, they’re more likely to repeat that action, because the valued outcome reinforces the behavior. In sociology, this kind of approach is a way to promote conformity by associating positive results with compliant actions. The term that best fits this idea is rewards, since it directly refers to the incentives used to reinforce behavior. Social control is a broader concept that includes many methods to maintain norms, not just positive incentives; stereotype and status describe beliefs about groups or a person’s position in society, not methods of reinforcing behavior.

Positive reinforcement uses rewards to encourage desirable behavior. When someone receives a reward for doing something good, they’re more likely to repeat that action, because the valued outcome reinforces the behavior. In sociology, this kind of approach is a way to promote conformity by associating positive results with compliant actions. The term that best fits this idea is rewards, since it directly refers to the incentives used to reinforce behavior. Social control is a broader concept that includes many methods to maintain norms, not just positive incentives; stereotype and status describe beliefs about groups or a person’s position in society, not methods of reinforcing behavior.