The Skinner box, or operant conditioning chamber, is a controlled environment designed to study behavior. It isolates a subject, typically an animal, from external distractions and includes a mechanism for the subject to respond, such as a lever or button. The chamber is programmed to deliver a consequence following a specific behavior; for instance, pressing the lever might result in positive reinforcement, like a food pellet, or a punishment, such as an unpleasant noise. This setup allows researchers to systematically investigate how consequences shape voluntary actions.