What concept describes individuals engaging in a behavior because they observe another being rewarded for that behavior?

The concept that describes individuals engaging in a behavior after observing another being rewarded for that behavior is vicarious reinforcement. This phenomenon occurs within the framework of social learning theory, proposed by Albert Bandura, which emphasizes that learning can happen by observing others and the consequences they face for their actions.

When an individual witnesses someone else receive a reward for a specific behavior, they may be more likely to imitate that behavior themselves, believing that they too can achieve a similar reward. This form of learning highlights the importance of social context and modeling in the acquisition of new behaviors, as the individual does not need to experience the reinforcement directly to be influenced by it.

Positive reinforcement, while related, specifically refers to the direct reinforcement that an individual experiences after performing a behavior, not through observation of others. Intrinsic motivation pertains to engaging in a behavior for personal satisfaction rather than external rewards, while external motivation involves performing a behavior to obtain external rewards rather than learning from others' experiences. Thus, vicarious reinforcement accurately captures the essence of learning through observed outcomes of others' behaviors.