Watch the below video, or alternatively, read the transcript, then move on to Consolidation Exercise 1.
Earlier in this module, we discussed the three-term contingency. We talked about how behaviour is affected by antecedents and consequences.
However, there is a fourth factor that we also consider when looking at the occurrence of behaviour ? motivation.
The term Setting Events is used within ABA to refer to events that occur before a behaviour, but in the more distant past than an antecedent.
Setting events can include things like a lack of sleep, illness, pain, temperature, bereavement, blood-sugar levels or changes to medication. These types of events influence our motivation to engage in certain types of behaviours.
Let?s take a look at a simple example of how a setting event can alter the probability of a behaviour.
It?s 4pm and Tim is hungry. He skipped breakfast and has had nothing eat all day. He approaches a take-away, notices that it is open and goes inside to buy a burger.
In this scenario, the antecedent SD was the sight of the take-away restaurant and the open sign. The behaviour was entering the restaurant and the reinforcer was the meal.
The next day, Tim is passing the restaurant, but he has just had lunch. He notices the take-away is open, but he does not enter.
In this situation, Tim?s level of hunger impacts on the probability of entering the restaurant. The same SD is present and the same consequence is available for entering and ordering. But the probability of the behaviour occurring varies depending on how hungry he is.
A concept that is linked to Setting Events is that of Motivating Operations.
Motivating operations (MO) are events alter the current value of stimulus changes as reinforcement or punishment. An establishing operation (EO) is a motivating operation that increases the value of a reinforcer and increase the frequency in behaviour that provides access to the reinforcer. An abolishing operation (AO) is a motivating operation that decreases the value of a reinforcer and decreases the chances of behaviors that provide access to that reinforcer.
For example, if you?ve just ran for 10k, the value of water as a reinforcer is much higher than it was before you began the run. You?re also much more likely to engage in behaviours that result in access to water, such as pouring yourself a glass of water, asking for water or buying water from a shop. Running is a establishing operation (EO) for water.
Next, let?s look at an example of an abolishing operation. Ali and Eammon are a couple that enjoy watching movies together. When Eammon asks Ali if she?d like to go to the movies, she usually says yes. One day, when Ali is home alone, she watches two movies. Eammon comes home later, and asks her if she?d like to go to the movies together. She says no. Watching two movies in a row served as an abolishing operation which abates all behaviour that is associated with watching movies. The value of watching movies as a reinforcer had decreased.
Common Types of Motivating Operations
Deprivation is a type of establishing operation that increases the effectiveness of most unconditioned reinforcers and some conditioned reinforcers. A particular reinforcer is more powerful if someone has gone without it for some time.
Satiation occurs when a person has recently consumed a large amount of a particular reinforcer or has had a substantial exposure to a reinforcing stimulus. As a result, these reinforcers are less potent at that time.
The difference between Setting Events and Motivating Operations
The concepts of Setting Events and Motiving Operations overlap. They are quite similar and it is possible for something to be both a setting event and a motivating operation.
However, some events that would count as a setting event do not count as a motiving operation and vice versa.
We use the term motivating operations to refer to events that tend to have a momentary or temporary impact on the value of something as a reinforcer. Some Setting Events, such as a bereavement or traumatic event, tend to have a longer-term impact on motivation and as such, would not qualify as motivating operations. S
As an RBT, you will not be expected to make complicated distinctions between the two concepts. However, it is useful to understand that both of these concepts refer to factors that relate to motivation and that can influence the occurrence of behaviour and strength of reinforcement.