Final answer:
Operant conditioning is where behaviors are mainly influenced by their consequences, a concept studied by psychologist B.F. Skinner. Consequences following a behavior can be reinforcements or punishments, which respectively increase or decrease the likelihood of the behavior's recurrence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The situation in which behaviors are influenced mainly by the consequences that follow them is known as operant conditioning. This form of learning occurs as the motivation for a behavior comes after the behavior itself, influenced by the result it produces. When a specific behavior is demonstrated, it is followed by a consequence which could either be a reinforcer or a punisher. Positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement both increase the likelihood that a behavior will occur again, while positive punishment and negative punishment decrease the likelihood of the behavior repeating.
Operant conditioning is about the association between a behavior and its consequence. A clear example of operant conditioning is how an animal, like a dolphin performing a flip when a whistle is blown, receives a fish as a reward. The animal comes to associate the action with the positive outcome of receiving food, and thus is more likely to repeat the behavior in anticipation of the reward. This type of learning was extensively studied by psychologist B.F. Skinner, who also demonstrated through his invention, the Skinner box, that rats could learn to press a lever to receive food, thus altering their behavior based on the consequences they experienced.