Which contingency would involve the entire group receiving reinforcement only if every member meets a common criterion?

• A. Independent Group Contingency
• B. Interdependent Group Contingency
• C. Intermittent Schedule of Reinforcement
• D. Instructional Setting

Answer: (B)

In an interdependent group contingency, the entire group earns reinforcement only if every member meets a common criterion. This setup treats the group as one unit: everyone must hit the target for the reward to be delivered to all, so peers often support one another to ensure no one falls short. This fosters collective accountability and cooperation, since any single member’s failure affects the whole group’s outcome. It’s different from an independent group contingency, where reinforcement goes to individuals based on their own performance, regardless of others, and from intermittent reinforcement, which concerns how often reinforcement is given rather than who earns it. An instructional setting simply describes where learning occurs, not the specific contingency about group reinforcement.