SPCE 611 Exam 4 Questions With
Answers 2025.
Establishing Operation (EO) - ANSWER- A motivating operation that increases the
effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event as a reinforcer. For example, food
deprivation makes food an effective reinforcer.
Motivating Operation (MO) - ANSWER- An environmental variable that (a) alters
(increases or decreases) the reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or
event; and (b) alters (increases or decreases) the current frequency of all behavior that
have been reinforced by that stimulus, object, or event.
value-altering effect (of a motivating operation) - ANSWER- either (a) an increase in the
reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event, in which case the MO is an
establishing operation (EO); or (b) a decrease in reinforcing effectiveness in which case
the MO is an abolishing operation (AO).
Abolishing Operation (AO) - ANSWER- A motivating operation that decreases the
reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event. For example, the reinforcing
effectiveness of food is abolished as a result of food ingestion.
behavior-altering effect (of a motivating operation) - ANSWER- either (a) an increase in
the current frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by some stimulus, object, or
event, called an evocative effect; or (b) a decrease in the current frequency of behavior
that has been reinforced by some stimulus, object, or event, called an abative effect.
evocative effect (of a motivating operation) - ANSWER- an increase in the current
frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by the stimulus that is increased in
reinforcing effectiveness by the same motivating operation
abative effect (of a motivating operation) - ANSWER- A decrease in the current
frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by the stimulus that is increased in
reinforcing effectiveness by the same motivating operation
MOs breakdown - ANSWER- MOs=
1) value-altering effect
2) behavior-altering effect
Value-altering effects=
1) reinforcer establishing effect
2) reinforcer abolishing effect
Behavior-altering effects=
, 1) evocative effect
2) abative effect
MOs alter the _____ frequency of all behaviors relevant to that MO - ANSWER- current
function-altering effects - ANSWER- A change in an organism's repertoire of MO,
stimulus, and response relations, caused by reinforcement, punishment, an extinction
procedure, or a recovery from punishment procedure. Respondent function-altering
effects result from the pairing and unpairing of antecedent stimuli.
MOs vs. SDs - ANSWER- Similarities:
(a) both alter the current frequency of behavior, acting as behavior-altering effects
Differences:
(a) SDs are related to the differential *availability* of a current effective form of
reinforcement for a particular behavior
(b) MOs are related to the differential reinforcing *effectiveness* of a particular event
Simple terms=
(a) SD tells you something you want is available
(b) MO makes you want something
unconditioned motivating operations (UMOs) - ANSWER- A motivating operation whose
value-altering effect does not depend on a learning history.
- ex = food deprivation increasing reinforcing effectiveness of food without any learning
history
Reinforcer-establishing/evocative effects - ANSWER- An increase in the reinforcing
effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event caused by a motivating operation.
reinforcer-abolishing/abative effects - ANSWER- a decrease in the reinforcing
effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event caused by a motivating operation.
conditioned motivating operation (CMO) - ANSWER- A motivating operation whose
value-altering effect depends on a learning history.
-For example, because of the relation between locked doors and keys, having to open a
locked door is a CMO that makes keys more effective as reinforcers, and evokes
behavior that has obtained such keys.
surrogate conditioned motivating operation (CMO-S) - ANSWER- A stimulus that
acquires its MO effectiveness by being paired with another MO and has the same
value-altering and behavior-altering effects as the MO with which it was paired.
**appears to play a role in the development of behaviors that don't make sense
Answers 2025.
Establishing Operation (EO) - ANSWER- A motivating operation that increases the
effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event as a reinforcer. For example, food
deprivation makes food an effective reinforcer.
Motivating Operation (MO) - ANSWER- An environmental variable that (a) alters
(increases or decreases) the reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or
event; and (b) alters (increases or decreases) the current frequency of all behavior that
have been reinforced by that stimulus, object, or event.
value-altering effect (of a motivating operation) - ANSWER- either (a) an increase in the
reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event, in which case the MO is an
establishing operation (EO); or (b) a decrease in reinforcing effectiveness in which case
the MO is an abolishing operation (AO).
Abolishing Operation (AO) - ANSWER- A motivating operation that decreases the
reinforcing effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event. For example, the reinforcing
effectiveness of food is abolished as a result of food ingestion.
behavior-altering effect (of a motivating operation) - ANSWER- either (a) an increase in
the current frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by some stimulus, object, or
event, called an evocative effect; or (b) a decrease in the current frequency of behavior
that has been reinforced by some stimulus, object, or event, called an abative effect.
evocative effect (of a motivating operation) - ANSWER- an increase in the current
frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by the stimulus that is increased in
reinforcing effectiveness by the same motivating operation
abative effect (of a motivating operation) - ANSWER- A decrease in the current
frequency of behavior that has been reinforced by the stimulus that is increased in
reinforcing effectiveness by the same motivating operation
MOs breakdown - ANSWER- MOs=
1) value-altering effect
2) behavior-altering effect
Value-altering effects=
1) reinforcer establishing effect
2) reinforcer abolishing effect
Behavior-altering effects=
, 1) evocative effect
2) abative effect
MOs alter the _____ frequency of all behaviors relevant to that MO - ANSWER- current
function-altering effects - ANSWER- A change in an organism's repertoire of MO,
stimulus, and response relations, caused by reinforcement, punishment, an extinction
procedure, or a recovery from punishment procedure. Respondent function-altering
effects result from the pairing and unpairing of antecedent stimuli.
MOs vs. SDs - ANSWER- Similarities:
(a) both alter the current frequency of behavior, acting as behavior-altering effects
Differences:
(a) SDs are related to the differential *availability* of a current effective form of
reinforcement for a particular behavior
(b) MOs are related to the differential reinforcing *effectiveness* of a particular event
Simple terms=
(a) SD tells you something you want is available
(b) MO makes you want something
unconditioned motivating operations (UMOs) - ANSWER- A motivating operation whose
value-altering effect does not depend on a learning history.
- ex = food deprivation increasing reinforcing effectiveness of food without any learning
history
Reinforcer-establishing/evocative effects - ANSWER- An increase in the reinforcing
effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event caused by a motivating operation.
reinforcer-abolishing/abative effects - ANSWER- a decrease in the reinforcing
effectiveness of a stimulus, object, or event caused by a motivating operation.
conditioned motivating operation (CMO) - ANSWER- A motivating operation whose
value-altering effect depends on a learning history.
-For example, because of the relation between locked doors and keys, having to open a
locked door is a CMO that makes keys more effective as reinforcers, and evokes
behavior that has obtained such keys.
surrogate conditioned motivating operation (CMO-S) - ANSWER- A stimulus that
acquires its MO effectiveness by being paired with another MO and has the same
value-altering and behavior-altering effects as the MO with which it was paired.
**appears to play a role in the development of behaviors that don't make sense
