Which term covers events that increase the value of reinforcers and thereby motivate behavior?

• A. Establishing Operations (EOs)/Motivating Operations (MOs)
• B. Antecedents
• C. Environmental Enrichment
• D. Stimulus Fading Procedures

Answer: (A)

Motivating Operations are events that change how much a reinforcer is worth at a given moment, which in turn changes how motivated someone is to engage in behavior that produces that reinforcer. An establishing operation, a type of MO, increases the reinforcing value of a consequence and makes the person more likely to pursue it. For example, when someone is deprived of food, food becomes more valuable as a reinforcer, so actions that have previously led to obtaining food are more likely to occur. The other concepts described don't specifically alter how much a reinforcer is valued: antecedents set the occasion for a response but don’t inherently change reinforcer value; environmental enrichment refers to a broader approach to improving a setting, not the moment-to-moment value of reinforcement; and stimulus fading procedures are techniques for shaping stimulus control, not for changing reinforcer value.