Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which behaviour is shaped by its consequences. Which of the following is a possible consequence?

Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which behaviour is shaped by its consequences. Which of the following is a possible consequence?

• A. Positive reinforcement
• B. Neutral stimulus
• C. Unconditioned stimulus
• D. Conditioned stimulus

Answer: (A)

In operant conditioning, learning comes from the consequences that follow a behavior. A consequence that increases the likelihood of the behavior being repeated is positive reinforcement: something desirable is added after the behavior, making the behavior more likely to occur again. For example, giving a student praise or a reward after they complete a task strengthens that behavior. The other terms belong to classical conditioning and aren’t about consequences that shape operant behavior. A neutral stimulus is something that starts off with no special meaning but becomes meaningful after pairing with an unconditioned stimulus; an unconditioned stimulus naturally elicits a response without learning; a conditioned stimulus is a previously neutral cue that has acquired meaning through association.

In operant conditioning, learning comes from the consequences that follow a behavior. A consequence that increases the likelihood of the behavior being repeated is positive reinforcement: something desirable is added after the behavior, making the behavior more likely to occur again. For example, giving a student praise or a reward after they complete a task strengthens that behavior.

The other terms belong to classical conditioning and aren’t about consequences that shape operant behavior. A neutral stimulus is something that starts off with no special meaning but becomes meaningful after pairing with an unconditioned stimulus; an unconditioned stimulus naturally elicits a response without learning; a conditioned stimulus is a previously neutral cue that has acquired meaning through association.