Mo can also be categorized into one of two defining

MO can also be categorized into one of two defining effects:
 Establishing Operation (EO) - increases the current effectiveness of some
stimulus, object, or event as reinforcement
 Abolishing Operation (AO) - decrease the current effectiveness of some
stimulus, object, or event as reinforcement
 Positive reinforcement
o Occurs when a behavior is followed immediately by the presentation of a
stimulus and as a result, occurs more often in the future
 Negative reinforcement
o When the frequency of a behavior increases because past responses have
resulted in the withdrawal or termination of a stimulus
o Characterized by escape or avoidance contingencies
o Ex: A person who jumps out of the shower because the water is too hot
escapes the overly hot water
o Refers to the termination of an aversive stimulus
 Difference between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement
o The term reinforcement always means an increase in response rate and
positive and negative define the type of stimulus change in the operation;
adding or withdrawing a stimulus
 Conditional probability analysis/formula for conditional probability analysis
o Investigates temporal relationships between antecedents, consequences,
and behaviors.
o The purpose is to determine which environmental events are associated
with problem behaviors
o Formula:
 # of target behaviors followed by specific environmental
consequence/total number of target behaviors occurring during

observation period
 Discriminative stimulus
o A stimulus in the presence of which responses of some type have been
reinforced and in the absence of which the same type of responses have
occurred and not been reinforced; this history of differential reinforcement
is the reason sD increases the momentary frequency of the behavior
 Maintaining contingencies
o
 Behavior contracts
o A mutually agreed upon document between parties that specifies a
contingent relationship between the completion of specified behaviors and
access to specified reinforcers
 Operational definition for behavior pg. 32
o an important part of prioritizing a target for intervention. A precise
description of the behavior of concern. Meets 3 important criteria:
1. Be objective. Should include only observable and measurable
characteristics of behavior.