Final answer:
To influence behavior using operant conditioning, we can apply reinforcement to strengthen a behavior or punishment to weaken it. Shaping rewards successive steps toward a behavior, facilitating learning complex actions. Operant conditioning is effective in educational settings and modifying child behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
When using operant conditioning, we may want to manipulate behavior by applying reinforcement or punishment. The purpose of this is to either strengthen a desirable behavior or weaken an undesirable one. This learning process is based on the principle that behaviors followed by positive consequences are likely to be repeated, while those followed by negative consequences are less likely to be repeated.
In the context of behavior modification in children, this can take the form of a sticker chart, where a child receives a sticker for demonstrating good behavior and, after accumulating a certain number, gets a reward. Similarly, positive reinforcement can be applied in educational settings, such as paying students to read books, which results in increased reading comprehension. The opposite, punishment, is employed to decrease the likelihood of a behavior's occurrence, such as a time-out for a child who grabs a toy from a sibling.
Shaping is an operant conditioning technique that reinforces successive approximations to a desired behavior. This is necessary because complex behaviors are unlikely to occur spontaneously. Instead, by rewarding each small step towards the target behavior, we can effectively guide the learning process.