Classical conditioning links an involuntary response with a stimulus. It happens passively on the part of the learner, without rewards or punishments.
An example is a dog salivating at the sound of a bell associated with food.
Operant conditioning connects voluntary behaviour with a consequence. Operant conditioning requires the learner to actively participate and perform some type of action to be rewarded or punished. It’s active, with the learner’s behaviour influenced by rewards or punishments.
An example is a dog sitting on command to get a treat.
Behaviourism is primarily concerned with observable behaviour and ignores the unobservable mental processes such as thinking and emotion.
The major influence on human behaviour is learning from our environment.
Learning occurs through conditioning - changes in behaviour due to experience.
Operant conditioning involves changing behaviour through consequences.
Classical conditioning involves pairing two stimuli together so that one becomes associated with the other.
