Skinner's Operant Analysis

Operant behavior

Behavior that operates on the environment.

Law of Effect

Principle that behavior is determined by its consequences, as proposed by Edward L. Thorndike.

Operant conditioning

The process where a behavior is made more probable by being followed by a positive reinforcer and less probable when followed by a punisher.

Skinner Box

An experimental apparatus designed by B.F. Skinner to study animal behavior, where animals press a lever for food.

Functional analysis of behavior

Identifying the environmental conditions that determine whether behavior occurs.

Stimulus Control

The process by which a person's response is determined by particular stimuli.

Discrimination

Responding differently upon encountering certain stimuli in different situations.

Discriminative stimulus

A stimulus whose presence signals an individual to respond due to previously learned reinforcement.

Stimulus generalization

The process in which behavior reinforced in one situation is repeated in other similar situations.

Positive reinforcement

The process of increasing the frequency of a behavior by presenting pleasant stimuli following that behavior.

Negative reinforcement

Increasing the frequency of behavior by removing an aversive stimulus following that behavior.

Punishment

A principle referring to a decrease in the frequency of a response when followed by certain aversive consequences.

Response cost

A type of negative punishment involving a penalty, such as losing a toy for cursing.

Time out punishment

A type of negative punishment that involves removing all pleasant stimuli for a period of time.

Aversive stimulus

Any unpleasant stimulus used in the context of punishment.

Positive punishment

The presentation of an aversive stimulus following a behavior to reduce its frequency.

Primary (Unconditioned) Reinforcers

Stimuli that are automatically reinforcing, like food, water, or sex.

Secondary (Conditioned) Reinforcers

Stimuli that acquire reinforcing properties through association with primary reinforcers, like praise or money.