Which scenario is an example of positive punishment?

The scenario involving spanking a child for throwing rocks is a clear example of positive punishment. In this context, "positive" refers to the addition of an aversive stimulus—in this case, spanking. The purpose of positive punishment is to decrease the likelihood of a specific behavior occurring in the future. By adding a negative consequence to an undesired behavior, such as throwing rocks, the intention is to discourage that behavior from happening again.

In this scenario, the act of spanking is meant to provide a strong aversive response to the child's actions, targeting the undesirable behavior directly. Over time, if the child learns that throwing rocks leads to spanking, they may be less likely to engage in that behavior in the future.

This approach contrasts sharply with other options presented. For instance, taking away a toy for misbehavior constitutes negative punishment because it involves removing a pleasant stimulus to reduce a behavior. Allowing extra playtime for good behavior represents reinforcement, which aims to increase the occurrence of a desired behavior. Ignoring a child who misbehaves might involve a lack of response that can lead to extinction of certain behaviors but does not actively add an unpleasant consequence or stimulus. Each of these scenarios involves different processes of behavior modification, emphasizing why the scenario involving spanking distinctly