What is the difference between respondent and operant conditioning?
- Respondent Behavior. Respondent behavior is behavior that is caused by stimulus in the environment. The behavior is unlearned and a reflex.
- Operant conditioning. On the other hand, operant behavior is based upon the consequences that follow a behavior. The consequence of a behavior affects future occurrences of behavior.
- References. Cooper, J. ...
What are the 4 types of operant conditioning?
Understanding the Four Quadrants of Operant Conditioning
- Positive punishment (P+)
- Negative punishment (P-)-
- Positive reinforcement (R+)-
- Negative reinforcement (R-)-
What is operant conditioning and how does it work?
What is operant conditioning and how does it work? Operant conditioning is a way of learning that is made possible using punishments and rewards for behaviour. In simpler words, operant conditioning allows humans to create an association between a behaviour and its consequence.
What is a real life example of operant conditioning?
Examples of Positive Reinforcement
- Homework Completion. A student tends to complete his/her homework daily; because he/she knows that he/she will be rewarded with a candy (action) or praise (behavior).
- Cleaning Room. A child may learn to clean his/her room regularly; because he/she will be rewarded with extra TV hours every time he/she cleans up.
- Incentives and Bonuses. ...
What is an example of a respondent behavior?
This method involves the following procedure:
- A rat is trained to press a bar in a Skinner box and for doing so, receives a food reward. ...
- Once the level of pressing response is occurring at a regular rate, an NS is introduced in the form of a light, tone, or noise.
- The NS is paired with a US of a mild foot shock lasting about 0.5 seconds. ...
What is the difference between respondent and operant behavior?
Respondent behaviors are considered “ready-made” behaviors where no “learning” is required. On the other hand, operant behavior is any behavior whose future frequency is determined by its history of consequences. Operant behaviors are defined by their effects, not by the form of the behavior.
What is an example of respondent conditioning?
In respondent conditioning, the US could be an appetitive or aversive stimulus. For instance, in appetitive conditioning, the US would be something desirable such as candy which makes us happy. Other examples could include water, food, sex, or drugs.
What is operant and respondent?
2 - Operant and Respondent Behavior They are elicited by antecedent stimuli and are relatively insensitive to their consequences. Respondent behaviors serve an adaptive role for the organism by regulating its physiology or otherwise contributing to the safety of the organism.
What is the difference between respondent and operant extinction?
For respondent behavior, extinction involves withholding the unconditioned stimulus but continuing to present the conditioned stimulus. For operant behavior, extinction involves withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced operant.
What is respondent in operant conditioning?
Respondent Conditioning Definition: A learning process wherein a previously neutral stimulus (which would not alter behavior) acquires the ability to elicit a response (alter behavior). Respondent behavior is controlled by its antecedents.
What is operant conditioning example?
For example, when lab rats press a lever when a green light is on, they receive a food pellet as a reward. When they press the lever when a red light is on, they receive a mild electric shock. As a result, they learn to press the lever when the green light is on and avoid the red light.Jun 3, 2020
Is respondent conditioning the same as classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning (also known as Pavlovian or respondent conditioning) is learning through association and was discovered by Pavlov, a Russian physiologist. In simple terms, two stimuli are linked together to produce a new learned response in a person or animal.Nov 22, 2021
Introduction
A crucial component of behavioral analysis is the exploration of different types of learning. Operant conditioning (OC) and respondent conditioning (RC) are to be mastered by behavior analysis since these learning types allow teaching new behaviors with the help of specific stimuli.
Definitions
Operant conditioning presupposes a link between the behavior and consequences, which means that one’s behavior is affected by the stimulus that one receives. Further, depending on the received stimulus, the frequency of behavior increases (with reward) or decreases (with punishment) (Pierce & Cheney, 2017).
Similarities and Differences between OC and RC
The main similarity between the two types of conditioning is that they both result in learning. However, the mechanisms of the two processes are quite different. Specifically, each behavior deals with a different kind of response (Cooper et al., 2019).
Examples of OC
I punished my cat every time she missed her litter box by not giving her fish, which is her favorite food, after such occasions. The cat learned that if she wanted to receive the treat, she had to behave well. Hence, she formed an association between keeping the floor clean and receiving food (punishment).
Examples of RC
On her way home from school, always at about 2 p.m., my niece passed a house in the yard of which a puppy was playing. The puppy was joyful and always ran toward the gate when it saw the girl. Our neighbor said that when my niece got ill and had been missing school for a week, the puppy ran toward the gate every day at 2 p.m. anyway.
Conclusion
Despite differences between OC and RC, both of these types of learning are important in behavior analysis. The two types of learning can be utilized to train a particular behavior, as well as change it. RC concentrates on involuntary behavior, whereas OC focuses on voluntary actions.
What is the difference between respondent and operant behavior?
Difference between respondent behavior and operant behavior: Respondent behavior are behaviors that you may not have full control of, are like reflexes. While, Operant behaviors are all behaviors that can be controlled, and are voluntary.
What is the difference between classical and operant conditioning?
Both classical conditioning and operant conditioning are processes that lead to learning. Classical conditioning pairs two stimuli, while operant conditioning pairs behavior and response. The learning occurs before the response in classical conditioning and after the response in operant conditioning. Click to see full answer.
What are the four types of reinforcement?
There are four types of reinforcement: positive, negative, punishment, and extinction. Subsequently, one may also ask, what is the main difference between classical conditioning and operant conditioning?
What is respondent conditioning?
Definition: A learning process wherein a previously neutral stimulus (which would not alter behavior) acquires the ability to elicit a response (alter behavior). Respondent behavior is controlled by its antecedents.
What happens when a client passes a physical therapy room?
Each time the client passes the physical therapy room, the client begins to shake and sweat. The previously neutral stimulus (the physical therapy room) through respondent conditioning, elicits the client’s response of shaking and sweating.
What is the difference between operant and classical conditioning?
One of the simplest ways to remember the differences between classical and operant conditioning is to focus on whether the behavior is involuntary or voluntary. Classical conditioning involves associating an involuntary response and a stimulus, while operant conditioning is about associating a voluntary behavior and a consequence.
What is classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning, on the other hand, involves forming an association with some sort of already naturally occurring event. 1 . Today, both classical and operant conditioning are utilized for a variety of purposes by teachers, parents, psychologists, animal trainers, and many others.
What is the process of pairing a previously neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus?
The classical conditioning process involves pairing a previously neutral stimulus (such as the sound of a bell) with an unconditioned stimulus (the taste of food). This unconditioned stimulus naturally and automatically triggers salivating as a response to the food, which is known as the unconditioned response.
How does reinforcement affect behavior?
How often the response is reinforced, known as a schedule of reinforcement, can play an important role in how quickly the behavior is learned 2 and how strong the response becomes.
What is instrumental conditioning?
Operant conditioning (or instrumental conditioning) focuses on using either reinforcement or punishment to increase or decrease a behavior. Through this process, an association is formed between the behavior and the consequences of that behavior. 1

Introduction
Definitions
- Operant conditioning presupposes a link between the behavior and consequences, which means that one’s behavior is affected by the stimulus that one receives. Further, depending on the received stimulus, the frequency of behavior increases (with reward) or decreases (with punishment) (Pierce & Cheney, 2017). Respondent conditioning happens when an u...
Similarities and Differences Between OC and RC
- The main similarity between the two types of conditioning is that they both result in learning. However, the mechanisms of the two processes are quite different. Specifically, each behavior deals with a different kind of response (Cooper et al., 2019). While RC focuses on involuntary behavior, OC concentrates on increasing or decreasing voluntary behaviors. Additionally, the sti…
Examples of OC
- Example 1
I punished my cat every time she missed her litter box by not giving her fish, which is her favorite food, after such occasions. The cat learned that if she wanted to receive the treat, she had to behave well. Hence, she formed an association between keeping the floor clean and receiving fo… - Example 2
Every time my neighbor left his car parked in the wrong spot, someone kicked it to make the siren system work. After several occasions, the neighbor realized that if he left the car that way, his car would be damaged, and the unpleasant noise would irritate people, including himself. The negati…
Examples of RC
- Example 1
On her way home from school, always at about 2 p.m., my niece passed a house in the yard of which a puppy was playing. The puppy was joyful and always ran toward the gate when it saw the girl. Our neighbor said that when my niece got ill and had been missing school for a week, the pu… - Example 2
When I bought a new frying pan, I got my hand burned by oil several times when cooking. After those incidents, I used to close my eyes every time when I opened the frying pan to avoid a burn. I have noticed that when I visit someone, and they are cooking, I close my eyes every time they op…
Conclusion
- Despite differences between OC and RC, both of these types of learning are important in behavior analysis. The two types of learning can be utilized to train a particular behavior, as well as change it. RC concentrates on involuntary behavior, whereas OC focuses on voluntary actions. Since both of these behavior types are of interest in behavior analysis, one should be aware of their peculiar…
References
- Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2019). Applied behavior analysis (3rded.). Essex, England: Pearson. Pierce, W. D., & Cheney, C. D. (2017). Behavior analysis and learning: A biobehavioral approach (6thed.). New York, NY: Routledge.