In operant conditioning, what is used to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated?

In operant conditioning, behaviors are influenced by the consequences that follow them. Positive reinforcement is a fundamental concept in this framework. It involves the introduction of a pleasurable stimulus after a desired behavior is performed, which increases the probability that the behavior will be repeated in the future. For example, if a child receives praise or a reward for completing their homework, they are more likely to complete their homework again in the future because they associate that behavior with a positive outcome.

While negative reinforcement also serves to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, it does so by removing an unpleasant stimulus rather than adding a positive one. Punishment and behavioral extinction, on the other hand, work to reduce the likelihood of a behavior. Therefore, positive reinforcement is the key mechanism in operant conditioning that effectively encourages the repetition of desired behaviors.