Skinner box
Operant conditioning chamber
A Skinner box is a laboratory apparatus used in behavioral psychology experiments, typically a chamber where an animal (usually a rat or pigeon) learns to perform actions like pressing a lever to receive food or avoid electric shock.
Named after psychologist B.F.
Skinner, it became fundamental to studying operant conditioning—how behaviors are shaped by rewards and punishments.
The term sometimes appears figuratively for any environment that manipulates behavior through systematic reinforcement: Social media is basically a Skinner box for humans.
Strengthening behavior through rewards
- negative reinforcementLearning via relief provision
- rewardPayment for service
- punishmentPenalty for an offense
Learning via reinforcement
- classical conditioningLearned stimulus-response association
- stimulus-responseInput-output behavioral pattern
- acquisitionAct of obtaining something
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
shaping · discrimination · generalization · habituation · association · contingency · trial and error · conditioned response
Facility for scientific investigation
- ratsLong-tailed urban pests
- pigeonsCommon urban birds
- behavior modificationAltering conduct through reinforcement
- response rateProportion who answer
variables · manipulation · controlled environment · data collection · replication
Rewards exchanged for privileges
- behavior modificationAltering conduct through reinforcement
- biofeedbackTraining via physiological monitoring
- addiction treatmentCare for compulsive dependencies
- classroom managementMaintaining order while teaching
Pivoting bar for lifting
- food magazinePublication about cuisine
- speakerOne who talks
- nose pokeFace-first contact behavior
- signal lightIlluminated traffic controller
positive reinforcement
Strengthening behavior through rewards
- negative reinforcementLearning via relief provision
- rewardPayment for service
- punishmentPenalty for an offense
operant conditioning
Learning via reinforcement
- classical conditioningLearned stimulus-response association
- stimulus-responseInput-output behavioral pattern
- acquisitionAct of obtaining something
extinction · shaping · discrimination · generalization · habituation · association · contingency · trial and error · conditioned response
laboratory
Facility for scientific investigation
- ratsLong-tailed urban pests
- pigeonsCommon urban birds
- behavior modificationAltering conduct through reinforcement
response rate · variables · manipulation · controlled environment · data collection · replication
token economy
Rewards exchanged for privileges
- behavior modificationAltering conduct through reinforcement
- biofeedbackTraining via physiological monitoring
- addiction treatmentCare for compulsive dependencies
lever
Pivoting bar for lifting
- food magazinePublication about cuisine
- speakerOne who talks
- nose pokeFace-first contact behavior