What term describes signals such as green lights and red lights that indicate whether a behavior will be reinforced?

The term that describes signals, such as green lights and red lights, which indicate whether a behavior will be reinforced is "discriminative stimuli." These stimuli serve as cues that provide information about the likelihood of reinforcement following a particular behavior in a given context. For instance, a green light signals that it is safe to go (the behavior of moving forward is likely to be reinforced if followed), while a red light indicates that you should stop (the behavior of proceeding is unlikely to be reinforced).

Discriminative stimuli are crucial in operant conditioning because they help individuals learn to associate certain cues with specific outcomes, guiding their behavior accordingly. This concept is essential for understanding how learning can be shaped and modified based on environmental signals.

In contrast, conditioned stimuli refer to previously neutral stimuli that have become associated with an unconditioned stimulus through conditioning. Reinforcement schedules relate to the timing and frequency of reinforcement provided after a behavior, while positive reinforcers are outcomes or rewards that increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated when presented after the behavior occurs.