Which of the following is an example of operant conditioning?

• A. A person feels anxious when entering a room where they previously experienced embarrassment.
• B. A dog salivates when it hears a bell that has been repeatedly paired with food.
• C. A child learns to fear thunder after hearing a loud noise during a storm.
• D. A student receives praise from a teacher after completing homework, increasing the likelihood of doing homework in the future.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definition of operant conditioning: it is a learning process through which the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment.
2. Identify that operant conditioning involves voluntary behaviors that are influenced by their consequences (rewards or punishments).
3. Review each option and determine whether the behavior is a result of associating a stimulus with a response (classical conditioning) or a behavior influenced by consequences (operant conditioning).
4. Recognize that feeling anxious when entering a room due to past embarrassment, salivating at a bell paired with food, and fearing thunder after a loud noise are examples of classical conditioning, where an involuntary response is associated with a stimulus.
5. Note that the example where a student receives praise after completing homework, which increases the likelihood of doing homework again, fits operant conditioning because the behavior (doing homework) is strengthened by a positive consequence (praise).