Which of the following is true regarding learning through operant conditioning?
Multiple Choice
A Organisms learn behaviors implicitly, without being reinforced.
B Organisms learn to act by imitating others.
C Organisms learn the association between behaviors and their consequences.
D Organisms learn the association between two stimuli.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is C) Organisms learn the association between behaviors and their consequences.
Operant conditioning, also known as instrumental learning, involves learning through the consequences of behavior. It is based on the idea that behaviors are influenced by the rewards or punishments that follow them. In this type of learning, an organism learns to associate a behavior with a particular outcome, whether it be reinforcement (which increases the likelihood of the behavior) or punishment (which decreases the likelihood of the behavior).
For example, if a rat presses a lever and receives food as a reward, the behavior of pressing the lever is likely to increase, as the rat has learned that this behavior results in a positive outcome (the food). Similarly, if the rat were to receive a mild shock for pressing the lever, it would likely reduce the frequency of this behavior in the future, as it associates the behavior with an unpleasant consequence.
This type of learning is fundamentally different from classical conditioning, where an organism learns to associate two stimuli (as described in option D). In operant conditioning, the focus is on the connection between a behavior (the organism’s action) and its outcome (the consequence of that action).
Option A is incorrect because learning in operant conditioning requires reinforcement or punishment to strengthen or weaken behaviors. Option B describes observational learning, which is a different form of learning. Option D refers to classical conditioning, not operant conditioning.