Okuzeka
Psychology vocabulary · Learning and Behaviour

Operant conditioning

Meaning in psychology, with examples

nounCommon term

In psychology, operant conditioning means: Learning in which behaviour changes because of its consequences: actions followed by reinforcement become more frequent, and actions followed by punishment become less frequent.

In Turkish: edimsel koşullanma, operant koşullanma

How it is used

Associated with B. F. Skinner and the Skinner box. Key terms include reinforcement, punishment, shaping and extinction. It underlies applied behaviour analysis, token economies and many parenting programmes.

Example sentences

  1. Through operant conditioning, the rat learned to press a lever to get food.

  2. Sticker charts for children are a simple application of operant conditioning.

Common collocations

  • operant behaviour
  • shaping behaviour
  • token economy
  • applied behaviour analysis
  • reinforcementIn learning theory, any consequence that makes a behaviour more likely to happen again, either by adding something pleasant or by removing something unpleasant.
  • classical conditioningA type of learning in which a neutral stimulus, after being paired many times with a stimulus that naturally causes a response, comes to cause a similar response on its own.
  • behaviourEverything a person or animal does that can be observed, such as actions, reactions and habits, often studied as a response to the environment.
  • observational learningLearning a behaviour by watching others and the consequences of their actions, then copying or avoiding that behaviour, without direct reward or practice.

More terms: Learning and Behaviour

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.