Behavior

A closer look at how rewards help shape behavior.

Observable behaviors are actions we can see and measure. Here’s why they are important.

Understand respondent conditioning and how it shapes automatic emotional and behavioral responses.

Overt behavior refers to actions that can be observed and measured. In other words, these are the behaviors that other people can see, such as your speech and physical actions. Overt behaviors can be contrasted with covert behaviors. Covert behaviors are actions and mental processes that occur in the mind and cannot be readily observed….

A conditioned reinforcer, also known as a secondary reinforcer, is a stimulus that becomes reinforcing after it is associated with primary reinforcers or other conditioned reinforcers. Unlike primary reinforcers, which are inherently rewarding (such as food, water, or shelter), conditioned reinforcers only acquire their reinforcing power through repeated pairing with primary reinforcers or other conditioned…

Negative reinforcement and punishment are both important concepts in B.F. Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning. Negative reinforcement removes something bad to encourage good behavior, while punishment adds something bad to discourage bad behavior. Understanding the difference between negative reinforcement and punishment is really important. They both try to change behavior, but they work in different…

Reinforcement in psychology involves increasing the likelihood of a behavior by introducing a stimulus, whereas punishment decreases the likelihood of a behavior by introducing a consequence. Reinforcement strengthens a behavior, while punishment weakens it. Reinforcement and punishment are both important concepts in operant conditioning, a behavioral theory of learning introduced by psychologist B.F. Skinner. Operant…

A conditioned response is the result of classical conditioning. It happens after a neutral stimulus has been paired with an unconditioned stimulus.  In other words, a conditioned response is a learned reaction to a specific stimulus. It’s a behavior that occurs automatically when the organism encounters or anticipates the stimulus, as a result of previous…

A conditioned stimulus is a stimulus that evokes a conditioned response. A previously neutral stimulus is associated with an unconditioned stimulus through the classical conditioning process. Eventually, this neutral stimulus starts to evoke the same response, at which point it becomes known as the conditioned stimulus. For example, imagine that you hear the sound of…

In classical conditioning, the unconditioned response is the natural, automatic reaction that is triggered by the unconditioned stimulus. It occurs unconditionally, which means it happens without having to go through any prior learning. For example, if you hear a loud, sudden noise, you might automatically startle. That natural reaction is the unconditioned response. You don’t…

The Premack Principle is a psychological concept suggesting that high-probability behavior can help reinforce low-probability behavior. In simpler terms, it involves using an enjoyable activity that someone prefers to encourage them to engage in a less enjoyable activity.  For example, a teacher might tell students that they have to finish their assignment first, and then…

In psychology, punishment refers to presenting an aversive stimulus or removing a positive stimulus in response to a behavior to reduce the likelihood of that behavior occurring again. Punishment is a concept within operant conditioning, a behaviorist theory developed by B.F. Skinner. The effectiveness of punishment in modifying behavior can vary, and its use is…

Extinction weakens or eliminates learned behaviors by removing the reinforcement or stimulus that originally triggered them, playing a crucial role in behavior modification. Key Takeaways: What Is Extinction in Psychology? Extinction in psychology refers to the process of reducing or eliminating a learned behavior by removing the reinforcement or consequence that previously followed that behavior….

In psychology, reinforcement refers to a process where behavior is strengthened or increased by the presentation or removal of a stimulus. Types of reinforcement include positive and negative reinforcement. Reinforcement is a key concept in behaviorism, a school of psychology that emphasizes the role of the environment in shaping behavior. According to behaviorists, behavior is…

Schedules of reinforcement determine when rewards are delivered and can affect the learning process.