Which conditioning involves reinforcing or punishing subsequent behavior to shape it?

• A. Classical conditioning
• B. Operant conditioning
• C. Observational learning
• D. Habituation

Answer: (B)

Operant conditioning is learning that occurs when behavior is shaped by its consequences. When a behavior is followed by a reinforcing outcome, its likelihood of occurring again increases; when it’s followed by a punishing outcome (or the removal of a desired outcome), its likelihood decreases. This mechanism is how you shape behavior step by step, reinforcing successive approximations toward the desired action and using punishments to reduce undesired ones. For example, giving a treat after a dog sits strengthens the sitting behavior.

This differs from classical conditioning, which involves forming associations between stimuli to elicit reflexive responses, not shaping behavior through consequences. Observational learning involves acquiring new behaviors by watching others, and habituation is a reduced response to a repeated, neutral stimulus. Hence, shaping behavior through reinforcement or punishment is the hallmark of operant conditioning.