Which statement defines motivating operations (MO) and its effect on reinforcement value?

Which statement defines motivating operations (MO) and its effect on reinforcement value?

• A. MO is a consequence that follows a behavior to decrease its future occurrence.
• B. MO is a behavior that increases over time with practice.
• C. MO is an environmental event that alters the value of reinforcement and the frequency of behavior.
• D. MO is a level of performance that remains constant regardless of deprivation.

Answer: (C)

Motivating operations are events in the environment that change how much a reinforcement is worth and, as a result, change how often a behavior that has produced that reinforcement occurs. There are two parts: the value-altering effect (making a reinforcer more or less valuable) and the behavior-altering effect (changing the probability or frequency of the behavior that leads to that reinforcer). For example, when you’re deprived of food, food becomes more reinforcing and you’re more likely to perform actions that previously led to obtaining food; once you’re satiated, food is less reinforcing and that behavior decreases. This concept is distinct from punishment, which aims to reduce future behavior through consequences, and from the idea that performance remains unchanged regardless of deprivation. So an environmental event that alters reinforcement value and the frequency of behavior best describes what motivating operations do.

Motivating operations are events in the environment that change how much a reinforcement is worth and, as a result, change how often a behavior that has produced that reinforcement occurs. There are two parts: the value-altering effect (making a reinforcer more or less valuable) and the behavior-altering effect (changing the probability or frequency of the behavior that leads to that reinforcer). For example, when you’re deprived of food, food becomes more reinforcing and you’re more likely to perform actions that previously led to obtaining food; once you’re satiated, food is less reinforcing and that behavior decreases. This concept is distinct from punishment, which aims to reduce future behavior through consequences, and from the idea that performance remains unchanged regardless of deprivation. So an environmental event that alters reinforcement value and the frequency of behavior best describes what motivating operations do.