In operant conditioning, when do critical events related to learning occur in relation to the response to be learned?

In operant conditioning, critical events related to learning occur after the response. This is central to the concept of reinforcement, where the consequences of a behavior influence the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future. Specifically, after a response is made, if the outcome is favorable (positive reinforcement) or unfavorable (negative reinforcement or punishment), it can either strengthen or weaken the likelihood of that behavior being repeated. This reliance on consequences following the action is what differentiates operant conditioning from classical conditioning, where the association is formed before the response through paired stimuli. Thus, the timing of the reinforcement or punishment is crucial in shaping behavior in operant conditioning.