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operant conditioning
This term is a technical psychological concept primarily used in behavioral science and pedagogy. It describes a learning process where the probability of a behavior is modified by its consequences, specifically through reinforcement or punishment. It is distinct from classical conditioning, which involves involuntary responses to a stimulus.
In professional and academic registers, it is used to describe the mechanics of behavior modification. Because it refers to a specific theoretical framework and process, it is treated as an uncountable noun and does not have a plural form.
Meanings
A method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior, where an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior.
The psychologist used operant conditioning to train the dolphin to jump through a hoop by providing a fish as a reward.