Which of the following is NOT a component of classical conditioning?

The answer is correct because operant response is not a component of classical conditioning. Classical conditioning involves the process of learning through association, where a neutral stimulus comes to evoke a conditioned response after being paired repeatedly with an unconditioned stimulus.

In classical conditioning, the unconditioned response is the natural reaction to an unconditioned stimulus, such as salivating when food is presented. The unconditioned stimulus is the stimulus that naturally triggers this response. The neutral stimulus, which initially does not trigger a response, becomes a conditioned stimulus after being paired with the unconditioned stimulus, leading to a conditioned response.

Operant conditioning, on the other hand, involves learning as a result of reinforcement or punishment following a behavior. Therefore, operant response pertains to a different learning process altogether, which focuses on the consequences of actions rather than the associations made between stimuli. This distinction highlights why operant response is not part of classical conditioning.