Timing of Stimulus and Response for Operant Conditioning

[emilyhobbes]

Hi guys,
I was just wondering if anyone clarify for me the timing of the stimulus response in OC, or more specifically, what's the stimulus in this case? All the trial papers say the the stimulus (the consequence) occurs after the response, but wouldn't the stimulus refer to the discriminative stimulus which occurs before the response?

[Felicity Wishes]

Technically, the response and the consequence are both 'stimulus' (go look at the definition for stimulus).

They are talking about how the operant response occurs before the consequence. In animals, the timing is best when the consequence occurs straight after the response but it humans, a considerable amount of time can pass and we can still make the association between a response and its consequences. (E.g. Fines, trials, jail sentences)