Which process describes learning to repeat behaviors that yield positive outcomes or avoid negative outcomes?

• A. Classical conditioning
• B. Operant conditioning
• C. Systematic desensitization
• D. Aversive conditioning

Answer: (B)

This describes operant conditioning. It’s about learning through consequences: behaviors that produce positive outcomes (rewards) tend to be repeated, and actions taken to avoid or escape negative outcomes become more likely as well. The key idea is that the future frequency of a behavior is shaped by what follows it.

Classical conditioning, by contrast, is about forming associations between two stimuli and predicting reflexive responses, not about voluntary actions being strengthened or weakened by their consequences. Systematic desensitization is a therapeutic technique that uses gradual exposure to reduce anxiety, not a general mechanism of learning from rewards and punishments. Aversive conditioning relies on pairing a behavior with an unpleasant stimulus to discourage it, focusing on punishment rather than the broader reinforcement and avoidance learning described here.