All behaviour that is initiated or interacts with the environment of a person is called operant. Contrary to respondent behaviour, operant behaviour has no biological function. We pull away our hand when touching a hot pan in an automated reflex, a respondent behaviour. One with an obvious biological function.
The behaviour that we perform for our work or day-to-day activities is mostly operant. With this behaviour a person interacts with its environment. For example, with other people, animals, or plants. Within operant behaviour we describe the behaviour as operant and the executor as performer.
Essential for operant behaviour is that we learn it via reinforcement. If we value the result of the behaviour we will keep repeating it. For example. After an enjoyable conversation with a stranger in a bar a person is more likely to engage in a conversation again.
Within Organisational Behaviour Management two concepts are defined to observe operant behaviour.
An important component to deliver a performance is verbal behaviour. The way we interact with others and its effect of that interaction is instrumental to the performance.
Verbal behaviour can be defined as: Behaviour that is reinforced by interaction with other persons. It concerns all forms of spoken and non-spoken communication that let people get what they want or avoid what they don't want.
Communication is subject to this definition. Communication can be one-way, for example a traffic sign. A traffic sign can be ignored by a recipient, preventing the desired response to occur.