Operant conditioning, first investigated by B.F. Skinner, is a form of learning in which behaviour is learned, maintained, or changed through its consequences. In this process, a response is strengthened if it is followed by reinforcement. The voluntary responses emitted by the organism are called operants, as the organism operates on the environment.

The consequences that influence operant conditioning are known as reinforcers. A reinforcer is defined as any stimulus or event that increases the probability of the occurrence of a desired response.

Several factors influence the course of operant conditioning, primarily related to the features of the reinforcer. These include the types of reinforcement (positive or negative), the number or frequency of reinforcement, the quality of the reinforcer (superior or inferior), and the schedule of reinforcement (continuous or intermittent).

Another significant factor is the interval of time between the occurrence of the response and the reinforcement. It is observed that delay in the delivery of reinforcement leads to a poorer level of performance. For example, immediate smaller rewards are often preferred over larger rewards received after a long gap.

Finally, the nature of the response or behaviour that is to be conditioned also influences the course of operant learning.