Motivating Operations and Discriminative Stimuli in Intervention
Key Takeaways
- Motivating operations alter the value of consequences and the current frequency of behavior related to those consequences.
- Discriminative stimuli signal the availability of reinforcement or punishment for a response.
- Interventions can alter antecedents by changing motivation, clarifying stimulus control, or both.
- A procedure is weak if it ignores the conditions that make problem behavior efficient.
MO and SD Distinctions
A motivating operation changes how valuable a consequence is and changes the current likelihood of behavior that has produced that consequence. Deprivation, satiation, pain, difficult tasks, and interrupted routines can function as MOs depending on the individual and context.
A discriminative stimulus, or SD, signals that a response is likely to produce reinforcement because of a history of differential consequences. A green icon that signals help is available is an SD if help requests have been reinforced in its presence and not in its absence.
Do not confuse wanting with signaling. If a learner skipped breakfast and food becomes more effective as reinforcement, that is an MO effect. If a snack bin is open only during break and requests are reinforced then, the open bin may function as an SD for requesting snacks.
Intervention Uses
| Assessment cue | Procedure direction |
|---|---|
| Behavior occurs when attention is scarce | Schedule attention, teach attention requests, signal availability |
| Behavior occurs during hard tasks | Adjust task difficulty, teach break requests, signal help |
| Behavior occurs when tangibles are removed | Teach tolerance, use transition signals, arrange access schedules |
| Behavior occurs only with one staff member | Analyze stimulus control and consequence history |
MO-based strategies can be abolishing operation procedures. Examples include offering choices, reducing task effort, providing presession access, or arranging breaks. These may reduce the current value of the reinforcer maintaining problem behavior.
SD-based strategies clarify when a response will work. Visual cues, rules, discriminative prompts, and multiple schedules can signal when reinforcement is available for requests, work, or waiting. Good SD procedures require consistent consequences, not just attractive materials.
Exam Traps
If the item asks why behavior happens more right now, consider an MO. If it asks what signal tells the learner a response will be reinforced, consider an SD. If it asks which intervention is most function based, select the option that changes the same reinforcer relation identified in assessment.
Antecedent procedures should not replace teaching. Reducing task difficulty can decrease escape-maintained behavior, but the plan may still need instruction, tolerance training, communication, or reinforcement for task completion. Domain G procedures often work together.
A learner is more likely to request water after running outside on a hot day, and water is more effective as a reinforcer at that time. Which concept best explains this change?
A therapist places a blue card on the desk when help requests will be reinforced and a gray card when independent work is required. Requests occur mostly in the presence of the blue card after training. What is the blue card functioning as?
Assessment shows screaming is maintained by access to a tablet and occurs most often after long periods without tablet access. Which intervention component most directly addresses the motivating operation?