Key Operant Conditioning Concepts

Operant conditioning focuses on how behaviors are influenced by rewards and punishments. Understanding concepts like reinforcement, punishment, and behavior modification helps explain how we learn and adapt, making it essential for grasping key psychological principles in AP Psychology (2025).

1. Positive reinforcement

   • Involves adding a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior.
   • Examples include praise, rewards, or treats following a desired action.
   • Strengthens the likelihood of the behavior being repeated in the future.

2. Negative reinforcement

   • Involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior.
   • Examples include taking painkillers to relieve pain or turning off a loud alarm.
   • Encourages the behavior by eliminating discomfort or unpleasant conditions.

3. Positive punishment

   • Involves adding an aversive stimulus to decrease a behavior.
   • Examples include scolding, spanking, or adding extra chores.
   • Aims to reduce the occurrence of the undesired behavior.

4. Negative punishment

   • Involves removing a desirable stimulus to decrease a behavior.
   • Examples include taking away privileges, such as screen time or toys.
   • Seeks to discourage the behavior by removing something enjoyable.

5. Extinction

   • Occurs when a previously reinforced behavior is no longer reinforced, leading to a decrease in that behavior.
   • Can happen when rewards are removed or ignored.
   • Often results in an initial increase in the behavior (extinction burst) before it diminishes.

6. Shaping

   • Involves reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior.
   • Useful for teaching complex behaviors by breaking them down into smaller steps.
   • Gradually increases the criteria for reinforcement as the behavior improves.

7. Schedules of reinforcement

   • Refers to the timing and frequency of reinforcement delivery.
   • Includes fixed-ratio, variable-ratio, fixed-interval, and variable-interval schedules.
   • Each schedule affects the rate and persistence of the behavior differently.

8. Discriminative stimuli

   • Signals the availability of reinforcement for a specific behavior.
   • Helps individuals understand when a behavior will be rewarded.
   • Example: A green light indicates that pressing a button will yield a reward.

9. Primary and secondary reinforcers

   • Primary reinforcers are naturally reinforcing (e.g., food, water).
   • Secondary reinforcers acquire their value through association with primary reinforcers (e.g., money, praise).
   • Both types are used to strengthen behaviors.

10. Law of effect

    • Proposed by Edward Thorndike, stating that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are more likely to be repeated.
    • Conversely, behaviors followed by unpleasant outcomes are less likely to be repeated.
    • Forms the basis for operant conditioning principles.

11. Operant chamber (Skinner box)

    • A controlled environment used to study operant conditioning.
    • Contains a lever or button that an animal can manipulate to receive a reward or avoid a punishment.
    • Allows researchers to observe behavior changes in response to reinforcement.

12. B.F. Skinner's contributions

    • Developed the concept of operant conditioning and the Skinner box.
    • Emphasized the role of reinforcement in shaping behavior.
    • Conducted extensive research on schedules of reinforcement and behavior modification techniques.

13. Behavior modification

    • The application of operant conditioning principles to change behavior.
    • Involves using reinforcement and punishment to encourage or discourage specific behaviors.
    • Commonly used in educational settings, therapy, and behavior management programs.

14. Token economy

    • A system where individuals earn tokens for desired behaviors, which can be exchanged for rewards.
    • Often used in classrooms or therapeutic settings to reinforce positive behavior.
    • Encourages consistent behavior change through immediate reinforcement.

15. Premack principle

    • States that a more preferred activity can be used to reinforce a less preferred activity.
    • Example: Allowing a child to play video games after completing homework.
    • Highlights the importance of individual preferences in behavior reinforcement.