An Establishing Operation (EO)An Establishing Operation (EO) is a type of motivating operation (MO) that temporarily alters the effectiveness of a reinforcer or punisher and increases the likelihood of a behavior that has been rei... More changes the value of a reinforcerA reinforcer is any consequence or stimulus that, when presented after a behavior, increases or maintains the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the futu... More (making it more desirable) and increases the likelihood that a behaviorBehavior refers to any activity or action that living organisms engage in, which can be observed, measured, and analyzed. It encompasses all interactions an organism has with its environment, inc... More leading to that reinforcer will occur. Hunger, thirst, or deprivation are common examples of EOs that influence behaviors in everyday life.
Example
Let’s say a person is extremely thirsty after exercising. In this case, the thirst acts as an Establishing Operation (EO), making water (the reinforcer) more valuable and increasing the likelihood that the person will engage in behaviors to get water, such as drinking or asking for a drink.
Abolishing Operation (AO)This refers to a procedure that decreases the value or effectiveness of a specific stimulus or behavior through satiation. Example An example of an abolishing operation (AO) would be the concept of fo... More, Establishing Operation (EO)