What type of reinforcement occurs through observing someone else being rewarded for a behavior?

Vicarious reinforcement refers to the phenomenon where an individual observes someone else being rewarded for a certain behavior, which influences their own likelihood to engage in that behavior. This concept is rooted in social learning theory proposed by Albert Bandura, which emphasizes the role of observation and modeling in learning.

When a person witnesses another receiving a reward, such as praise or a tangible reward, they may feel motivated to imitate that behavior, believing they too will receive similar rewards. This type of reinforcement does not involve direct personal experience; instead, it leverages the social context and the learned implications of behavior observed in others.

Positive reinforcement involves directly receiving a reward for a specific behavior, and negative reinforcement refers to the removal of an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Intrinsic reinforcement comes from internal satisfaction or pleasure associated with performing a behavior. While these other types of reinforcement play important roles in behavior modification, vicarious reinforcement specifically captures the learning that occurs through observation of rewarded behaviors in others.