SPCE 611 Exam 4
Questions and Answers
Denning [Date] [Course title]
,Establishing Operation (EO) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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 - Correct Answers: 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 - Correct Answers: current
function-altering effects - Correct Answers: 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 - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: A motivating operation whose value-
altering effect does not depend on a learning history.
Questions and Answers
Denning [Date] [Course title]
,Establishing Operation (EO) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: 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 - Correct Answers: 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 - Correct Answers: current
function-altering effects - Correct Answers: 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 - Correct Answers: 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) - Correct Answers: A motivating operation whose value-
altering effect does not depend on a learning history.
