In operant conditioning, learning occurs primarily through which process?

• A. Forming an association between two stimuli that occur close together in time, leading one stimulus to elicit a response
• B. Gaining insight into a problem through sudden understanding rather than through trial-and-error consequences
• C. Associating a behavior with its consequences (reinforcement or punishment), which changes the likelihood of that behavior occurring again
• D. Acquiring new behaviors by observing and imitating a model, especially when the model is rewarded

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that operant conditioning is a type of learning where behaviors are influenced by their consequences.
2. Recognize that in operant conditioning, a behavior is followed by either reinforcement (which increases the likelihood of the behavior) or punishment (which decreases it).
3. Differentiate operant conditioning from classical conditioning, where learning occurs by associating two stimuli, not by consequences of behavior.
4. Note that insight learning involves sudden understanding without trial-and-error consequences, which is different from operant conditioning.
5. Acknowledge that observational learning involves imitating a model, which is also distinct from operant conditioning's focus on behavior-consequence associations.