In a park, Maci saw one pigeon that would turn in a circle one way and then turn in a circle the opposite way before it approached any person who was about to feed it. She wondered why it engaged in this pattern of behavior. Based on the studies by B. F. Skinner, which explanation BEST accounts for the pigeon's behavior?
A) The pigeon was showing post hoc ("after this, therefore because of this") reasoning.
B) The sight of food in Maci's hand motivated the pigeon.
C) The pigeon learned the superstitious behavior through operant conditioning.
D) A park visitor shaped and reinforced the pigeon's behavior.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to B.F. Skinner's studies, the pigeon's behavior could be explained through operant conditioning. The pigeon learned that when it engaged in a certain behavior (turning in a circle both ways), it received food, even though there is no actual causal relationship between the behavior and the food. This type of behavior is known as superstitious behavior.

In a Park, Maci Saw One Pigeon That Would Turn