The operant conditioning chamber (Skinner box) was created by B. F. Skinner. It is used to study both operant conditioning and classical conditioning.

Operant chambers have at least one operandum (or "manipulandum"), and often two or more, that can automatically detect the occurrence of a behavioral response or action.
Typical operanda for rats are response levers; if the subject presses the lever, the opposite end moves and closes a switch that is monitored by a computer or other programmed device. The other minimal requirement of a conditioning chamber is that it have a means of delivering a primary reinforcer or unconditioned stimulus like food (usually pellets) or water. It can also register the delivery of a conditioned reinforcer, such as an LED or a "token".

• Reinforcement
• Reinforcement with stimulus
• Schedules of reinforcement, Fixed interval
• Schedules of reinforcement, Variable interval