Operant Conditioning

I am the type of person who is very tidy and organized. I usually like things done a certain way and that way only or I am not satisfied. One thing I always want done the same way is how my laundry is folded (yes, I know it's a little weird). Over the past years I have learned that when my mother does my laundry she folds everything, which is fine for some people but that is not how I like my laundry done. I like all my shirts to be hung up on hangers, except the loose fitting shirts, which can be folded. Then I like all my pants folded also. Since my mother does not do my laundry how I prefer it to be done, I have taken up doing my own laundry. I have been doing my own laudry for the past four years because then I know that I am satisfied with how my clothes are folded.

This is an example of operant conditioning. The behavior being shown is doing the laundry. From this behavior I get a positive reinforcement of being happy/satisfied at how my clothes are folded. The schedule of reinforcement in this case would be a variable interval because I might do my laundry after 3 days, then a week later, then 5 days later, it all varies.