Operant Conditioning: Rewards, Punishments, and Behavior

Introduction Why do you check your phone obsessively? Why does your dog sit on command? Why do you study before exams? In each case, your behavior is shaped by consequences rewards and punishments that follow your actions. This is operant conditioning: learning through the outcomes of your behavior. Key Concepts Operant Behavior: Behavior that is voluntarily emitted and can be shaped by consequences (unlike the automatic responses in classical conditioning) Reinforcement: Any consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated Positive Reinforcement: Adding something desirable after a behavior (praise, money, food) Negative Reinforcement: Removing something undesirable after a behavior (turning off a siren when you buckle up) Punishment: Any consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated Positive Punishment: Adding something undesirable after a behavior (speeding ticket, scolding) Negative Punishment: Removing