Final answer:
The applications of operant conditioning principles in online testing systems and interactive software are best represented by shaping and immediate reinforcement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Online testing systems and interactive software are applications of the operant conditioning principles of shaping and immediate reinforcement. In operant conditioning, developed by B.F. Skinner, behaviors are modified by their consequences through reinforcement or punishment, thereby influencing the likelihood of those behaviors being repeated. Shaping is utilized to reward successive approximations of a desired behavior. Immediate reinforcement ensures that the consequence (typically a positive reinforcer such as feedback or a score) follows the targeted behavior closely in time, aiding in the association between the behavior and the consequence.
'Shaping' involves breaking a complex behavior down into smaller steps and rewarding each step as the learner gets closer to the desired behavior. 'Immediate reinforcement' refers to providing the reward directly following the desired behavior, which is crucial for the learner to make the connection between the action and the outcome.