Because John's parents reward him based on how much work he does, it is a ratio-based schedule of reinforcement. Since his reward comes regularly—after every 2 loads of laundry—it is a fixed ratio schedule.

When Skinner developed the operant conditioning box, it famously became known as the Skinner box. When a stimulus was presented, the box was designed such that a reward (or punishment) could be delivered depending on the subject's reaction to the stimulus. For example, when a light was shown, a mouse could push a lever and receive food.

Although placebos are used in a great deal of experiments, the Skinner box was developed to study the impact of reinforcement and punishment on learning and behavior.

Positive reinforcement rewards actions by presenting a positive stimulus, while negative reinforcements rewards actions by removing a negative stimulus. Positive punishment introduces a negative stimulus, while negative punishment removes a positive stimulus.

Negative reinforcement occurs when a negative stimulus (in this case, the homework) is removed in response to the desired behavior (behaving well in class).

Because the passage of time is the only factor governing the release of the food pellets, this is an interval-based schedule; because the food is released regularly every twenty minutes, it is a fixed interval schedule.

Positive reinforcement involves the introduction of a new stimulus, whether that stimulus is pleasing or harmful. A reward refers to any pleasing reinforcement, either the awarding of something desired or the removal of something unwanted.

Because Mr. Jones is reinforcing class participation by giving his students something they want (extra credit on the next exam), he is giving them a positive reward.

In operant conditioning, there are two primary methods of conditioning behavior: positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is aimed at increasing a particular behavior, while negative reinforcement is designed to decrease a behavior.

In positive reinforcement, the subject either seeks to attain a positive stimulus, escape a negative stimulus, or actively avoid the prospect of a negative stimulus. In negative reinforcement, the subject may be threatened with a negative stimulus or the removal of a positive stimulus.

Examples of positive reinforcement include presenting food or removing an uncomfortable environmental factor. Examples of negative reinforcement include electrical shocks or removing a toy.

B.F. Skinner believed that the best way to understand behavior is to look at the causes of an action and its consequences. This ideal forms the basis of operant conditioning.

A fixed-interval reinforcement schedule reinforces responses after a standardized period of time. In the correct answer, Mike is reinforced with a candy every 15 minutes that he completes the desired behavior of staying on task in class.

Punishment is an attempt to decrease unwanted behavior. It is the opposite of reinforcement, which is used to strengthen or increase behavior. Punishment does not, however, indicate that the subject has forgotten about their bad behavior. Because no positive reinforcement has been added, Billy has simply been told what not to do, there has been no indication of what he should do. It follows that, rather than learning from his mistake, Billy may simply become afraid of further punishment.