Operant conditioning is a method of learning that uses rewards and punishment to modify behavior. It is sometimes referred to as instrumental conditioning. In operant behavior, stimuli can be appetitive or aversive. Appetitive stimuli are the ones that you voluntarily approach while aversive stimuli are those you try to avoid or escape. Responses to such stimuli can either be positive or negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement means introducing stimulus to increase the probability of recurrence of behavior, while negative reinforcement involves removing stimulus to encourage good behavior.

Operant conditioning was first described by behaviorist B.F. Skinner. His theory was based on two assumptions. First, the cause of human behavior is something in a person’s environment. Second, the consequences of a behavior determine the possibility of it being repeated. Behavior that is followed by a pleasant consequence is likely to be repeated and behavior followed by an unpleasant consequence is less likely to be repeated. Punishment in operant conditioning is defined as any change to the surrounding environment that reduces the probability of responses or behavior happening again.

Operant conditioning differs from classical conditioning, which is a process where stimuli are paired with biologically significant events to produce involuntary and reflexive behaviors. In contrast, operant conditioning is voluntary and depends on the consequences of a behavior. Operant conditioning connects voluntary behavior with a consequence. It requires the learner to actively participate and perform some type of action to be rewarded or punished.

In summary, operant conditioning is a method of learning that uses rewards and punishment to modify behavior. It is based on the idea that behavior is influenced by its consequences, and that behavior that is followed by a pleasant consequence is likely to be repeated.