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Operant Conditioning

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning, a key concept in behavioral psychology, involves using reinforcement and punishment to alter the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. B.F. introduced this type of conditioning. Skinner focused on voluntary behaviors and the consequences that follow them, influencing whether these behaviors will be strengthened or diminished.
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...

Punishment

Punishment

Negative reinforcement and punishment are often confused but serve distinct functions in behavior modification. Reinforcement, whether positive or negative, increases the likelihood of a desired behavior, while punishment decreases it.
Punishment can be positive or negative. Positive punishment involves adding an undesirable stimulus, such as scolding, to decrease a behavior. Negative punishment involves removing a desirable stimulus, such as taking away a favorite toy, to decrease behavior.

Reinforcement

Reinforcement

Positive and negative reinforcement are key concepts in operant conditioning, a learning process where the consequences of a behavior affect the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.
Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is followed by the presentation of a rewarding stimulus, increasing the frequency of that behavior. For example:

Timing and Consequences on Behavior

Timing and Consequences on Behavior

In operant conditioning, the timing of reinforcement is crucial. For animals like rats and cats, immediate reinforcement (within a few seconds) is much more effective than delayed reinforcement. For example, a food reward for a rat needs to follow within 30 seconds of pressing a bar to be effective.
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...

Law of Effect

Law of Effect

B.F. Skinner, a prominent figure in behavioral psychology, introduced operant conditioning by emphasizing the role of consequences in shaping behavior. This theory builds upon the law of effect proposed by Edward Thorndike, which posits that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are likely to be repeated. In contrast, those followed by unsatisfying outcomes are less likely to recur.
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Operant Conditioning Intervention

Operant Conditioning Intervention

Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

Published on: February 20, 2019

Reward and punishment effects on error processing and conflict control.

Birgit Stürmer¹, Roland Nigbur, Annekathrin Schacht

¹Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Berlin, Germany.

Frontiers in Psychology

|November 24, 2011

Summary

Positive affect from monetary gains does not consistently reduce cognitive conflict adaptation. However, rewards can enhance error adaptation, suggesting distinct mechanisms for conflict and error processing.

Keywords:

conflict adaptation error processing error-related negativity event-related brain potentials punishment reinforcement reward

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Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice

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Last Updated: May 27, 2026

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

Published on: February 20, 2019

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice

Published on: June 5, 2016

Area of Science:

Cognitive Neuroscience
Affective Science
Psychology

Background:

Positive affect is thought to reduce cognitive conflict adaptation.
Monetary gains might counteract conflict aversion, potentially reducing subsequent adaptations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how monetary gains and losses influence cognitive conflict adaptation.
To examine the impact of reward on error processing and adaptation.

Main Methods:

Two experiments using Simon-type conflict tasks with between-trial monetary gains/losses.
Analysis of event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and behavioral data.
Experiment 2 manipulated reward contingency based on response speed.

Main Results:

Monetary gains/losses did not affect conflict adaptation in Experiment 1 (random rewards).
Conflict adaptation was enhanced after gains in Experiment 2 (performance-contingent rewards).
Reward context enlarged the error-related negativity (ERN) and post-error slowing, indicating increased error adaptation.

Conclusions:

Affective modulations of conflict adaptation are more limited than previously suggested.
Adaptive mechanisms for errors and conflicts appear to dissociate.
Reward may enhance error adaptation by increasing the subjective value of errors.