Which practice is described as operant conditioning?

• A. Classical conditioning
• B. Negative reinforcement training
• C. Operant conditioning
• D. Hacking

Answer: (C)

Operant conditioning is a learning process where behavior is shaped by its consequences. When a behavior is followed by a reward, it’s more likely to occur again; when it leads to something unpleasant or is followed by removal of an aversive stimulus, the behavior can be increased or decreased accordingly. This approach focuses on voluntary actions and uses reinforcement or punishment to influence how often a behavior happens. In falconry, you’d typically reinforce desired actions with a reward or use negative reinforcement by removing an aversive stimulus when the bird performs the right action, which fits the operant conditioning framework.

Classical conditioning, by contrast, involves forming associations between two stimuli rather than altering behavior through consequences, and hacking is unrelated to learning theory.