Final answer:
The basic idea described where actions are influenced by their following consequences is known as operant conditioning, a form of associative learning where behavior is shaped by reinforcements or punishments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Doing something and then being influenced by what happens as a consequence of the thing you did is the basic idea behind operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is a type of associative learning where an individual's behavior is modified by the consequences that follow. This learning process is particularly influential as the consequences can either reinforce or punish the behavior, thereby affecting the likelihood of the behavior being repeated in the future.
B. F. Skinner was a pioneering psychologist in this field, proposing that the motivation for a behavior occurs after the behavior is exhibited, with the consequences acting as reinforcers or punishers. Reinforcements can be positive or negative but both aim to increase a behavior's frequency, while punishment aims to decrease it. Such consequences can be scheduled to be delivered after either a set or variable period of time, influencing behavior in different ways.