Discriminative Stimulus vs. Motivating Operations

Discriminative Stimulus vs. Motivating Operations

1. Discriminative Stimulus

   • SD
   • Requires both
     • A Stimulus in the presence of which a particular behavior has been previously reinforced
     • the behavior should not have been reinforced in the absence of the stimulus
   • Indicates the availability of reinforcement
   • A mother walking in and SIB occurring after no SIB happened in the alone condition

2. EX: Teaching a child to say "Fork"

   • place the plate w/o the fork
     • With respect to saying "Fork" hunger is
       • UMO
     • The food but no fork is a
       • CMO-T

3. Ex: Low on gas

   • in the distance you see the sign and take the next exit
     • the sign in the distance is
       • SD for available gas

4. Changing your speed when nearing a place where cops like to sit

   • CMO-T

5. Motivating Operations

   • Alters the reinforcing value of an object, event, or stimulus

6. Alone child beginning to play with a preferred toy