Operant conditioning

Definition

Operant conditioning is a learning process where behavior is influenced by consequences such as rewards and punishments. It is fundamental in understanding how organisms adapt their behavior to environmental stimuli.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Developed by B.F. Skinner, operant conditioning involves reinforcement (positive or negative) to increase desired behaviors.
2. In a biological context, animals often learn foraging or mating behaviors through operant conditioning.
3. Positive reinforcement involves adding a stimulus to increase a behavior, while negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus.
4. Punishment, either positive (adding an aversive stimulus) or negative (removing a desired stimulus), decreases the likelihood of a behavior.
5. Operant conditioning can explain complex social behaviors within animal communities, including cooperation and competition.

Review Questions

• What role does positive reinforcement play in operant conditioning?
• How might operant conditioning be used to explain animal foraging behavior?
• What is the difference between positive and negative punishment?

Related terms

Classical Conditioning: A learning process where an organism learns to associate two stimuli, leading to a change in behavior.

Reinforcement: In operant conditioning, it refers to any consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Punishment: A consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, either by introducing an adverse stimulus or removing a beneficial one.