Glossary / Lexicon

Operant Conditioning refers to B.F. Skinner's learning paradigm in which the consequences of a behavior determine whether a behavior is repeated in the future.

According to Skinner two (2) kind of consequences were particularly influential on learning:

(1) reinforcements (rewards) and

(2) punishments.

It is the principle whereby behaviors that are reinforced tend to recur, whereas behaviors that are not reinforced or are punished tend to decrease in frequency. Most of Skinner’s work investigates the principles of Operant conditioning.

Moreover. Operant conditioning is the process of changing behavior by manipulating its consequences; a form of learning in which voluntary responses come to be controlled by their consequences; and learning resulting from the response an organism receives following a behavior.(see Classical conditioning, Conditioning)

Other definition:

Operant conditioning refers to a learning process in which an individual acquires behaviors through reinforcement.