Operant Conditioning

Operant Behavior

Behavior operates on the environment to produce rewarding or punishing stimuli.

Reinforcement

Any event that strengthens a preceding response.

Shaping

Gradually guiding behavior toward closer approximations of the desired behavior.

Positive Reinforcement

Increases behaviors by presenting positive reinforcers.

Negative Reinforcement

Increases behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli.

Primary Reinforcer

Unlearned, innately reinforcing stimuli.

Conditioned (secondary) Reinforcer

Gains power through association with a primary reinforcer.

Reinforcement Schedule

Pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced.

Continuous Reinforcement Schedule

Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs.

Partial (intermittent) Reinforcement

Schedule reinforcing a response only part of the time, leading to greater resistance to extinction.

Punishment

Administers an undesirable consequence or withdraws something desirable to decrease the frequency of a behavior.

Positive Punishment

Presenting a negative consequence after an undesired behavior.

Negative Punishment

Removing a desired stimulus after an undesired behavior.