Final answer:
Operant conditioning is a type of learning where a behavior is learned by acting on the environment to produce desired consequences, guided by the law of effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
A behavior is learned when one acts on the environment to produce desired consequences through a process known as operant conditioning. According to psychologist B. F. Skinner, operant conditioning involves learning from the consequences of our actions, where behaviors followed by positive reinforcements are likely to be repeated, and behaviors followed by punishments are less likely. This concept is based on the law of effect, which was first proposed by Edward Thorndike. An example of operant conditioning in everyday life is going to work; people are motivated to show up for work mainly because they receive a paycheck, which acts as a reinforcement. If the reinforcement stops, the behavior is less likely to continue.
Operant conditioning differs from classical conditioning, which involves creating associations between stimuli and reflexive responses. Operant conditioning, on the other hand, focuses on associating a behavior with its consequence, altering the behavior's form, strength, or frequency. Reinforcement can be positive or negative, but both serve to increase the likelihood of a behavioral response, while punishment serves to decrease it.