BF. Skinner, a prominent behaviourist, developed the concept of operant conditioning, which is based on how behaviours can be influenced by consequences. The four quadrants of operant conditioning illustrate how different types of reinforcers and punishments can shape behaviour. These quadrants are: Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Positive Punishment, and Negative Punishment. Each has a distinct role in training, whether for animals, or even personal habit development.

1. Positive Reinforcement: This involves adding something desirable to encourage a behaviour. For example: when a dog sits on command and receives a treat, this positive consequence strengthens the likelihood that the dog will sit again when asked. Positive reinforcement can be used in training to increase good behaviours by providing rewards like praise, tokens, or treats.
2. Negative Reinforcement: This is when an undesirable stimulus is removed after a behaviour, which also encourages that behaviour to happen more often. For instance, if a horse refuses to load onto a trailer, the handler may put tension on the lead rope and only remove it when the horse steps forwards towards the trailer. Negative reinforcement works by taking away something unpleasant as a result of a positive behaviour.
3. Positive Punishment: In this quadrant, something unpleasant is added to decrease the likelihood of a behaviour. For example: if an animal touches a hot stove and feels pain, the pain serves as positive punishment, teaching the animal not to touch the stove. Positive punishment is often used to stop unwanted behaviours by introducing an unpleasant consequence.
4. Negative Punishment: Here, a positive stimulus is taken away to decrease a behaviour. An example is when an animal’s food bowl is taken away before they have finished eating. Losing the left over food is a consequence that discourages for instance, a horse trying to bite you once they have finished their food.

Understanding how these quadrants work is essential for effective training, whether you're working with animals, people, or even trying to modify your own habits. By using the right type of reinforcement or punishment, you can increase positive behaviours and reduce negative ones