Final answer:
Operant conditioning is based on the research of B. F. Skinner. Skinner's experiments on animals led to the development of the Skinner box, which allowed the study of behavior modification through reinforcement and punishment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Operant conditioning is based on the research of B. F. Skinner. Skinner conducted scientific experiments on animals to determine how organisms learn through operant conditioning. He developed a chamber called a Skinner box, which allowed the study of behavior modification through reinforcement and punishment. According to Skinner, behavior is motivated by the consequences we receive for the behavior, and the law of effect states that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences are more likely to be repeated.