What Is Operant Conditioning?
Operant conditioning, sometimes called instrumental conditioning or Skinnerian conditioning, is
a method of learning that uses rewards and punishment to modify behavior. Through operant
conditioning, behavior that is rewarded is likely to be repeated, while behavior that is punished
is prone to happen less.
For example, when you are rewarded at work with a performance bonus for exceptional work,
you will want to continue performing at a higher level in hopes of receiving another bonus in the
future. Because this behavior was followed by a positive outcome, the behavior will likely be
repeated.
The Operant Conditioning Theory
Operant conditioning was first described by psychologist B.F. Skinner. His theory was based
on two assumptions.
First, the cause of human behavior is something in a person’s environment.
Second, the consequences of a behavior determine the possibility of it being repeated.
Behaviors followed by a pleasant consequence are likely to be repeated and those followed by
an unpleasant consequence are less likely to be repeated.
Through his experiments, Skinner identified three types of responses that followed behavior:
Neutral responses - . They are responses from the environment that produce no stimulus other
than focusing attention. They neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behavior being
repeated.
Reinforcers.- They are responses from the environment that increase the likelihood of a
behavior being repeated. They can either be positive or negative.
Punishers.- These are negative operants that decrease the likelihood of a behavior.
Punishment weakens behavior.
behavior called the “law of effect.” It stated that if you behave in a certain way and you like the
result of your behavior, you’re likely to behave that way again. If you don’t like the result of your
behavior, you’re less likely to repeat it.
Thorndike put cats in a box to test his theory. If the cat found and pushed a lever, the box would
open, and the cat would be rewarded with a piece of fish. The more they repeated this behavior,
the more they were rewarded. So, the cats quickly learned to go right to the lever and push it.
The idea: positive results reinforce behaviors, making you more likely to repeat the same
behaviors later on.
John B. Watson was another psychologist who influenced Skinner and his theory of operant
conditioning. He studied behavior that could be observed and how that behavior could be
controlled, as well as the ways that behaviors are learned. In fact, he coined the term
“behaviorism,” a field of psychology focused on how things are learned.
When Skinner came along to advance this theory, he created his own box. In went pigeons and
rats though not at the same time who quickly learned that certain behaviors brought them
rewards of food
He described his pigeons and rats as “free operants.” That meant they were free to behave how
they wanted in their environment (the box). However, their behaviors were shaped or
conditioned by what happened after their previous displays of those behaviors.
(Operant Behavior)
In operant behavior, the way you choose to behave today is influenced by the consequences of
that behavior in the past. Those consequences will either encourage and reinforce that
behavior, or they will discourage and punish that behavior.
An example: When you were a kid, did you get sent to your room when you hit your sibling?
That consequence, your parents hoped, would discourage you from doing that again.
Types of operant behaviors
B.F. Skinner divided behavior into two different types: respondent and operant.
Respondent behavior. This is the type of behavior that you can’t control. It’s Skinner’s term for
what happened with Pavlov’s dogs -- when they heard a bell, they responded by salivating. It
was a reflex, not a choice. People have respondent behaviors, too. If someone puts your
favorite food in front of you, you likely will start salivating, just like Pavlov’s dogs.
Operant behavior. These are voluntary behaviors that you choose to do based on previous
consequences. You choose to behave in a certain way to get an expected result. For example,
you study hard in anticipation of a reward from your parents. Or if you get punished for talking
back to your parents, you are more likely to choose not to do that in the future.
Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement involves providing a pleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a
behavior happening in the future. For example, if your child does chores without being asked,
you can reward them by taking them to a park or giving them a treat
Operant Conditioning FAQs
What are the four types of operant conditioning?
Positive reinforcement: You are rewarded for performing a desired behavior. That encourages
that behavior.
Negative reinforcement: Something you don’t like goes away when you perform a desired
behavior. That encourages that behavior.
Positive punishment: You get something unpleasant when you perform an undesired
behavior. This discourages that behavior.
Negative punishment: Something you like gets taken away when you perform an undesired
behavior. This discourages that behavior.
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