Which scenario best illustrates positive reinforcement in an organizational setting?

• A. Removing an unpleasant daily check-in after consistent performance.
• B. A written warning for lateness.
• C. Public recognition for meeting a deadline.
• D. Ignoring the behavior.

Answer: (C)

Positive reinforcement involves adding something desirable after a behavior to increase the likelihood that the behavior will occur again. When someone meets a deadline and is publicly recognized, the recognition acts as a valued reward that follows the desired behavior, making it more likely the person will repeat the behavior and others will be encouraged to do so as well. In organizational settings, social acknowledgment can be a powerful motivator because it reinforces performance and signals what the organization values. The other scenarios rely on different mechanisms: removing an unpleasant daily check-in is the removal of an aversive stimulus (negative reinforcement), not the addition of a reward; a written warning is a punishment intended to reduce the behavior; ignoring the behavior provides no reinforcement and can lead to extinction. Therefore, public recognition for meeting a deadline best illustrates positive reinforcement.