What is the main idea of operant conditioning?
Group of answer choices
A Behavior is motivated by the consequences we receive for the behavior: reinforcements and punishments.
B One can learn new behaviors by observing others.
C Fear is a conditioned response.
D Learning can occur when a conditioned stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus.
The correct answer and explanation is :
Correct Answer: A – Behavior is motivated by the consequences we receive for the behavior: reinforcements and punishments.
Explanation:
Operant conditioning is a learning process developed by B.F. Skinner, based on the idea that behaviors are influenced by their consequences. In operant conditioning, behaviors that are followed by favorable outcomes (reinforcements) are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors that are followed by unfavorable outcomes (punishments) are less likely to be repeated.
Reinforcement can be positive or negative. Positive reinforcement involves presenting a pleasant stimulus after a behavior (like giving a child a treat for cleaning their room), which increases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again. Negative reinforcement involves removing an unpleasant stimulus after a behavior (like turning off a loud alarm when you get out of bed), which also strengthens the behavior.
Punishment, on the other hand, aims to decrease unwanted behaviors. Positive punishment adds an unpleasant consequence (such as getting a speeding ticket), while negative punishment takes away a desired stimulus (like losing phone privileges). Both types of punishment reduce the chances of a behavior recurring.
Skinner’s work demonstrated that learning is not just about associations between stimuli (as in classical conditioning), but also about the consequences that follow actions. This makes operant conditioning especially applicable in real-world settings like education, parenting, therapy, and animal training.
In contrast, the other choices reflect different types of learning:
- Choice B refers to observational learning (Bandura).
- Choice C is related to classical conditioning and the role of fear (like in Watson’s Little Albert experiment).
- Choice D describes classical conditioning as discovered by Pavlov.
Therefore, A best captures the main idea of operant conditioning, which is learning based on consequences through reinforcement and punishment.