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Living organisms adapt their behaviour not only to preceding stimuli. They also learn from the consequences of their own actions. This form of learning is called operant conditioning.
Behaviour and its consequences
A behaviour that initially occurs by chance may become more or less frequent depending on the consequence that immediately follows it. If an action repeatedly produces a favourable consequence, the probability that it will be performed again increases. If it produces an unfavourable consequence, its frequency usually decreases. The reliable timing between the behaviour and its consequence is crucial.
Reinforcement and punishment
Reinforcement occurs when a consequence makes a behaviour more frequent in the future. With punishment, the behaviour becomes less frequent. These terms therefore describe the effect on the frequency of a behaviour – not whether an action is morally right or wrong.
The terms positive and negative describe what changes in the situation: “positive” means that a stimulus is added, while “negative” means that a stimulus is removed. Both terms can be combined with either reinforcement or punishment.
Research in the Skinner box
The psychologist Burrhus Frederic Skinner studied operant learning in a controlled experimental chamber. An animal could, for example, press a lever inside the chamber. Researchers systematically changed the consequences of this action while observing how the number, frequency and timing of lever presses developed. This made it possible to identify which consequences strengthened or weakened a behaviour.
Task
Run each of the four anonymous trials for two minutes. Observe the immediate consequence of each lever press and the rat’s behaviour. Then compare the average lever-press rate and the other relevant measurements over time. Assign each trial to one form of operant conditioning and justify your decision using at least two observations or measured values.