Operant conditioning

In one line: Behaviour that is rewarded gets repeated; behaviour that is punished fades. Consequences shape what we do.

Operant conditioning explains behaviour through its results. Unlike classical conditioning (linking two stimuli), operant conditioning is about what happens after we act.

This links to the concept of causality: a consequence is a cause of future behaviour. Reward a child for tidying and the tidying increases — the reward caused the change.

Memory hook: Behaviour is shaped by its consequences. Good result → do it more; bad result → do it less.

Key idea: Consequences come in four types — two that increase behaviour (reinforcement) and two that decrease it (punishment).

Take a student who starts answering in class. The teacher's praise (positive reinforcement) makes them answer more. If mocking laughter followed (positive punishment), they would answer less. The consequence, not the behaviour itself, drives the change.

Worked example you could use: In classic illustrations, animals in a box learn to press a lever when it delivers food (positive reinforcement) or stops a mild shock (negative reinforcement). You may cite this kind of study as an example — in your own words. No need to memorise details.

Go further — higher-level insight: Reinforcement usually beats punishment. Punishment suppresses behaviour but doesn't teach a better one, and can cause fear or resentment. Rewarding a desired alternative tends to produce more lasting change — a key point for evaluation and application.

Key idea: Operant conditioning is well-evidenced and highly practical, but it can be too simple for complex human behaviour.

So operant conditioning is a powerful, testable, useful account of learning, but a full picture of human behaviour also needs the thinking (cognitive) and social levels it leaves out.

Watch out: Reinforcement is defined by its effect. If a 'reward' doesn't increase the behaviour, it wasn't a reinforcer for that person — don't assume what counts as rewarding.