ABSTRACT
Instrumental learning is learning the connection between a behavior and its consequence. The behaviors of individual organisms are instrumental in producing various outcomes, some positive and some unwanted. This chapter deals more broadly with behavior than just our bad habits. The distinction between instrumental conditioning and operant learning is significant among researchers of each, but may be less obvious to outsiders. One difference is that in instrumental learning, the subject is given discrete trials during which the response may be performed, for example, a trial in a maze or puzzle box. Instrumental learning is studied through a variety of methods. Rats and pigeons are frequently trained in Skinner boxes. With pigeons, a round Plexiglas disk placed at eye level can be pecked. Instrumental tasks can be expanded to allow several responses. For instance, two levers could be available in the Skinner box, each having a different reinforcement contingency.
