The Premack Principle can be utilized to encourage which behavior?

The Premack Principle is a concept in behavior analysis that suggests that more preferred or desirable behaviors can be used to reinforce less preferred or less desirable behaviors. When applying this principle, an individual is encouraged to complete a less enjoyable task (the less preferred behavior) by allowing them to engage in a more enjoyable task (the more preferred behavior) afterward.

In the context of the question, option A reflects this principle perfectly, as it describes a scenario where engaging in a less desirable task is followed by a more desirable task—essentially using the latter as a reward to motivate the completion of the former. This strategy can be particularly effective in encouraging individuals to tackle tasks they may otherwise avoid or find unappealing.

The other options do not align as closely with the fundamental concept of the Premack Principle. Taking breaks during tasks involves pauses that do not directly relate to a contingency between two tasks; learning new adaptive skills does not directly involve the dynamics of preferred/unpreferred tasks to reinforce each other, and avoiding non-preferred activities does not utilize reinforcement strategies in the same way that the Premack Principle describes.