Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which a person changes his behavior because of the results of his behavior.

Learning Objective

Define the methodology behind operant conditioning as a reinforcement agent in organizational behavior

Key Points

Operant conditioning is a form of learning which states that a person changes his behavior because of the results of his behavior.
The result of acts can be reinforcement, punishment and extinction.
Positive reinforcement' (Reinforcement) occurs when there is a reward for a form of behavior.
Negative reinforcement (Escape) occurs when an aversive stimulus is removed.
Positive punishment occurs when a stimulus is added, which results in the behavior occurring less often.
Negative punishment occurs when a stimulus is taken away, which results in the behavior occurring less often.

Terms

operant conditioning
Operant conditioning is a form of learning. According to this theory, a person changes his behavior because of the results of his behavior.
extinction
the action of making or becoming obsolete or discontinued.

Full Text

Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning is a form of learning. According to this theory, a person changes his behavior because of the results of his behavior. The result can be:

Reinforcement: a positive or rewarding event which causes the behavior to occur more often.
Punishment: a negative or punishing event which causes the behavior to occur less often.
Extinction: no event follows; the behavior has no consequences. When a behavior has no consequences, it will occur less frequently.

Four Contexts of Operant Conditioning

Within operant conditioning, the terms "positive" and "negative" are not used in their common or popular sense; positive means that something is added, and negative means something is taken away.

Positive reinforcement' (Reinforcement) occurs when there is a reward for a form of behavior. This will increase the frequency at which the behavior occurs. In the Skinner Box experiment, the reward is in the form of food when the rat presses a lever.
Negative reinforcement (Escape) occurs when an aversive stimulus is removed. This will increase the frequency at which the behavior occurs. In the Skinner Box experiment, there was a loud noise, which was removed when the rat pressed the lever.
Positive punishment occurs when a stimulus is added, which results in the behavior occurring less often. Example stimuli may be loud noise, electric shock (rat), or a spanking (child).
Negative punishment occurs when a stimulus is taken away, which results in the behavior occurring less often. An example might be a child's toy taken away after the child does an undesired behavior.

Skinner Box

Example of Operant Conditioning

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