Final answer:
B. F. Skinner is the psychologist most closely associated with operant conditioning, utilizing the Skinner box to show how behaviors are influenced by consequences like rewards and punishments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct option : b
The psychologist most closely associated with the study of operant conditioning was B. F. Skinner. Operant conditioning is a form of associative learning where behavior is modified by its consequences. Skinner's methodical research employed an apparatus known as the Skinner box, where, for example, a rat learns to press a lever to obtain food. This learning process involves reinforcements and punishments to increase or decrease certain behaviors.
Skinner differentiated his work from classical conditioning, which was studied by Ivan Pavlov through his experiments on dogs. While Pavlov's work dealt with the association of stimuli to elicit a certain reflex, Skinner focused on how behaviors were influenced by ensuing rewards or punishments. Skinner's contributions to behaviorism underscored the importance of consequences in shaping behavior, making him a foundational figure in this field of behavioral psychology.