What is operant conditioning and who developed it?

Operant conditioning is a form of learning where behavior is strengthened or weakened by its consequences. B.F. Skinner developed this approach, building on Edward Thorndike's law of effect which states that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences tend to be repeated. Skinner used operant chambers, called Skinner boxes, to study how animals learn to press levers or peck keys for food rewards. The key principle is that organisms operate on their environment and learn from the results.