Behavior that operates on the environment to produce a change, effect, or consequence.

Behavior that operates on the environment to produce a change, effect, or consequence.

• A. Behavior
• B. Operant
• C. Conditioned
• D. Private Behavior

Answer: (B)

Operant behavior is actions that operate on the environment to produce a change, effect, or consequence. The key idea is that these behaviors are emitted by the organism and are influenced by the consequences they produce—reinforcement or punishment—so repeating or avoiding the behavior changes over time. This makes operant behavior different from reflexive, or respondent, actions, which are elicited by antecedent stimuli and don’t depend on the consequences that follow. It’s also distinct from private behavior, which refers to internal thoughts and feelings that aren’t directly observable. For example, pressing a lever to obtain food demonstrates an operant: the behavior acts on the environment to bring about a consequence, and that consequence then influences how likely the lever-press will be in the future.

Operant behavior is actions that operate on the environment to produce a change, effect, or consequence. The key idea is that these behaviors are emitted by the organism and are influenced by the consequences they produce—reinforcement or punishment—so repeating or avoiding the behavior changes over time. This makes operant behavior different from reflexive, or respondent, actions, which are elicited by antecedent stimuli and don’t depend on the consequences that follow. It’s also distinct from private behavior, which refers to internal thoughts and feelings that aren’t directly observable. For example, pressing a lever to obtain food demonstrates an operant: the behavior acts on the environment to bring about a consequence, and that consequence then influences how likely the lever-press will be in the future.