Operant Conditioning primarily involves what principle?

Operant Conditioning primarily involves the principle that behavior frequency changes based on rewards and punishments. This psychological concept, pioneered by B.F. Skinner, suggests that behaviors can be strengthened or weakened depending on the consequences that follow them. When a behavior is followed by a rewarding stimulus, the likelihood of that behavior being repeated increases. Conversely, if a behavior is followed by a punishing consequence, the likelihood of its recurrence decreases.

In this context, rewards (reinforcements) can be positive, like praise or a treat, or negative, where an unpleasant stimulus is removed following the behavior. This is fundamental to understanding how behaviors are learned and modified over time in various settings, including education, therapy, and animal training. The emphasis on consequences distinguishes operant conditioning from other learning theories, such as classical conditioning, which focuses on the association between stimuli rather than the role of rewards and punishments in behavior modification.