Final answer:
Operant conditioning is a form of learning where a subject's behavior is influenced by the consequences of that behavior, such as rewards or punishments, leading to an increase or decrease in the likelihood of the behavior occurring again.
Step-by-step explanation:
The form of learning that occurs when responses to a particular stimulus lead to positive outcomes or allow the person to avoid negative outcomes is called instrumental or operant conditioning. This form of learning is based on the principle that behaviors followed by positive reinforcements are more likely to occur in the future, whereas behaviors followed by punishments are less likely to occur.
Operant conditioning involves a subject performing a certain behavior and then experiencing the consequences of that behavior. These consequences can be either reinforcement or punishment. Positive reinforcement involves the addition of a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior, while negative reinforcement involves the removal of an undesirable stimulus to increase a behavior. Punishment is designed to decrease a behavior and can also be positive (addition of an undesirable stimulus) or negative (removal of a pleasant stimulus).
The work of B.F. Skinner was particularly influential in developing this theory. Operant conditioning is distinguished from classical conditioning (in which learning occurs by associating two stimuli together to elicit a response) and from observational learning where learning occurs by observing the behavior of others.