In operant conditioning, what is the term for a stimulus change that follows a behavior of interest?

• A. Extinction
• B. Discriminative stimulus
• C. Antecedent
• D. Consequence

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that in operant conditioning, behaviors are influenced by events that occur before and after the behavior.
2. Identify that an antecedent is a stimulus that occurs before the behavior, signaling the opportunity for a response.
3. Recognize that a discriminative stimulus is a specific type of antecedent that signals the availability of reinforcement or punishment.
4. Know that extinction refers to the process where a previously reinforced behavior decreases when reinforcement stops.
5. Focus on the stimulus change that follows the behavior, which is called a consequence, as it affects the likelihood of the behavior occurring again.