Which of the following best defines operant conditioning in the context of AP Psychology?

• A. A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations.
• B. A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened or weakened by the consequences that follow it, such as rewards or punishments.
• C. A sudden realization of a problem's solution without trial-and-error learning.
• D. A process by which an organism learns to associate two stimuli and anticipate events.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that operant conditioning is a type of learning focused on how behaviors are influenced by their consequences.
2. Step 2: Recognize that in operant conditioning, behaviors can be either strengthened (increased) or weakened (decreased) depending on whether they are followed by rewards (reinforcements) or punishments.
3. Step 3: Differentiate operant conditioning from other types of learning, such as habituation (a decrease in response to repeated stimuli), insight learning (sudden realization), and classical conditioning (associating two stimuli).
4. Step 4: Identify that the key feature of operant conditioning is the role of consequences in shaping voluntary behavior, unlike classical conditioning which involves automatic responses to stimuli.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best definition of operant conditioning is 'a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened or weakened by the consequences that follow it, such as rewards or punishments.'