Premack Theory posits that a more likely or desirable behavior can be used to reinforce a less desirable behavior.

• A. It is possible to use a more likely behavior to reward a less desirable behavior.
• B. It requires punishment to be effective.
• C. It states that reinforcement must be given before the behavior occurs.
• D. It cannot be used to influence future behavior.

Answer: (A)

Premack Theory uses a behavior that the animal tends to perform more often (a preferred, high-probability behavior) as a reward to increase the likelihood of a less desirable, less probable behavior. In practice, you let the dog engage in the preferred activity only after it performs the less desirable task, so the chance of the less desirable behavior occurring rises because it leads to the rewarding, more desired activity. This is a form of positive reinforcement, and the reward is delivered after the target behavior, not before. It also means the behavior you want to increase becomes more likely in the future because it reliably leads to the preferred activity. For example, if a dog loves to play with a ball, you can grant ball play only after the dog sits on cue, so the sit becomes more likely over time as it consistently leads to the reward.