Which situation demonstrates positive punishment?

The situation that demonstrates positive punishment is when a child is reprimanded in front of classmates for inappropriate behavior. In this context, positive punishment involves the addition of an aversive stimulus—in this case, the public reprimand—which aims to decrease the likelihood of the inappropriate behavior recurring in the future. The goal of this approach is to make the child associate the negative experience (the reprimand) with the behavior that prompted it, thereby discouraging that behavior from happening again.

In contrast, the other choices illustrate different concepts related to reinforcement or consequences that do not involve punishment. Rewarding a child with candy for good grades is an example of positive reinforcement, where a favorable outcome increases the likelihood of the desired behavior occurring again. A student losing free time for not completing assignments exemplifies negative punishment, which involves the removal of a pleasant stimulus to reduce an undesirable behavior. Praising a child for sharing is another instance of positive reinforcement, as it encourages the child to continue sharing behavior by offering a commendation.