What is Operant Conditioning?
Created in the 1930s Operant Conditioning,
is a behavioral learning method developed by Burrhus Frederic Skinner. His learning method works on the premise “that learning occurs through associations with rewards and punishments for behavior”.
In operant conditioning, positive and negative do not mean good and bad, its math and has nothing to do with ethics. Instead, positive means you are adding something, and negative means you are taking something away. All reinforcers (positive or negative) increase the likelihood of a behavioral response. All punishers (positive or negative) decrease the likelihood of a behavioral response
Reinforcement means you are increasing a behavior, and can be positive or negative.
Punishment means you are decreasing a behavior, and punishment can also be positive or negative.
Reinforcement in Operant conditioning
Positive reinforcers- involves favorable events or outcomes that are “added” after the behaviour. This Positive reinforcement strengthens a behaviour by providing a consequence an individual finds rewarding. For horses giving them a handful or grain or hay pellets following a desirable behavior.
Negative reinforcers- involve the removal or “subtraction” of unfavorable events or outcomes after the display of a behaviour. In these situations, a response is strengthened by the removal of something considered unpleasant. When you pull on one rein to turn and once the horse begins turning you release.
Punishment in Operant conditioning
Positive punishment: something is “added” to the mix that makes the behavior less likely to continue or reoccur. Hitting your horse with a whip to get on a trailer.
Negative punishment: something is “taken away” from the mix that makes the behavior less likely to continue or reoccur. Removing food in the corral after the horse spent most of the ride eating on the trail.
That is operant conditioning in a tiny tiny, Nutshell. I highly suggest that you take a look at one of the many in-depth books or articles about the history of behaviorism and B.F.Skinner.