Heading out to the store after reading the article exemplifies which behavioral effect?

• A. A Punishing Effect
• B. A Value-Altering Effect
• C. An Establishing Operation
• D. An Evocative Behavior Altering Effect

Answer: (D)

This item focuses on how a motivating operation can evoke a response. A motivating operation changes how appealing a consequence is and can also alter the likelihood that a behavior that has previously produced that consequence will occur again. The evocative behavior-altering effect specifically increases the probability of a behavior that has historically led to the reinforcing outcome. In this scenario, reading the article about the store makes going to the store more appealing and primes the behavior that has previously resulted in obtaining desired items, so heading out to the store is evoked. The other terms don’t fit as neatly: a punishing effect would reduce behavior, a value-altering effect describes changing the reinforcing value without necessarily specifying which behavior is pulled forward, and an establishing operation is about making the reinforcer more or less valuable in the moment but doesn’t capture that the behavior itself is being evoked.