Vicarious Reinforcement

Vicarious reinforcement occurs when an individual observes someone else being rewarded for a behavior, which increases the likelihood they'll imitate that behavior. Instead of experiencing the reward firsthand, they learn by watching the consequences others face. For example, if a person sees a coworker praised for completing a task efficiently, they might feel motivated to do the same to earn recognition. This concept highlights how observing positive outcomes in others can influence our own actions, learning indirectly through social observation rather than direct experience.