Meaning & use
operant conditioning
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
a learning process where behavior is shaped by rewards or punishments that follow it
Grammar: Used as a singular noun; no plural form: Operant conditioning is a key concept in psychology.
Patterns
- operant conditioning in psychology
- through operant conditioning
- principles of operant conditioning
In operant conditioning, a rat learns to press a lever to get food.
Teachers often use operant conditioning by giving stickers for good work.
Skinner's research on operant conditioning showed how consequences shape behavior.
Common combinations
- operant conditioning chamber
- The psychologist placed the rat in an operant conditioning chamber.
- principles of operant conditioning
- The teacher applied the principles of operant conditioning in her classroom.
- operant conditioning techniques
- Animal trainers often use operant conditioning techniques.
- theory of operant conditioning
- B. F. Skinner is famous for his theory of operant conditioning.
Synonyms and how they differ
- instrumental conditioning
- instrumental conditioning is a near-synonym, but operant conditioning is the more common term in modern psychology.
Opposites
Word family
- operant adjective
- relating to behavior that is influenced by consequences
- conditioning noun
- the process of training or learning through repeated exposure
Commonly confused: operant conditioning or classical conditioning?
operant conditioning vs classical conditioning
Classical conditioning pairs a neutral stimulus with a reflex; operant conditioning uses rewards and punishments to shape voluntary behavior.
Practice
Which situation best illustrates operant conditioning?
Choose one answer.
Operant conditioning involves learning from consequences; getting a treat for sitting is a reward that increases the behavior. Salivating at a bell is classical conditioning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “operant conditioning”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.