Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026

Operant Procedures for Assessing Behavioral Flexibility in Rats
Published on: February 15, 2015
The abative effect: A new term to describe the action of antecedents that reduce operant responding
Abstract:
Behavior-analytic terminology concerning the so-called inhibitory effect of operant antecedents lacks precision. The present paper describes the problem with current nomenclature concerning the effects of antecedent events that reduce operant responding and offers a solution to this problem. The solution consists of adopting a new term, abative, for the effect in question. This paper suggests that the new term has several advantages over terms currently used and that adopting this term will yield a variety of practical and theoretical benefits, including, but not limited to, a more consistent vocabulary to describe antecedent-behavior relations.
Related Concept Videos
Behavior Modification
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
Operant Conditioning
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...
Operant Conditioning Intervention
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
Associative Learning
Classical conditioning, also known...
Generalization, Discrimination, and Extinction
Generalization occurs when a behavior reinforced in one context is performed in similar situations. For instance, a student who studies diligently for calculus and receives excellent grades might apply the same study habits to psychology and history, expecting similar results. Generalization shows how learning in one setting can influence behavior in...
Law of Effect
Edward Thorndike's foundational work involved studying learning in animals, particularly using puzzle boxes...

