National Evaluation Series (NES) Assessment of Professional Knowledge Practice Test

What is an example of operant conditioning in a classroom setting?

1. Students show up to class on time to avoid detention.

2. Students leave class when the bell rings.

3. Students feel confident about their learning goals.

4. Students monitor their own progress.

The correct answer is: Students show up to class on time to avoid detention.

An example of operant conditioning in a classroom setting is illustrated by students showing up to class on time to avoid detention. This scenario exemplifies how behavior is influenced by its consequences. In this case, the students have learned that arriving on time results in the positive outcome of not receiving a detention—an aversive consequence. As a result, the behavior of arriving on time is reinforced as students seek to avoid negative outcomes. Operant conditioning involves a reinforcement or punishment mechanism where behaviors are shaped by the consequences that follow them. In this case, punctuality is reinforced through the avoidance of detention, making it more likely that students will continue to arrive on time in the future. The other options describe different behaviors or states of learning, but they do not specifically exemplify the principles of operant conditioning. For example, leaving class when the bell rings demonstrates a learned routine or established schedule rather than conditioning. Monitoring one's own progress is related to self-regulation and metacognition, while feeling confident about learning goals pertains more to a student's sense of self-efficacy rather than a behavior modified by consequences.