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Conditioned Motivating Operations: Examples and Practical Considerations
Carissa D Basile1, Tiffany Kodak2, Hannah M Effertz2
1Department of Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington USA.
Abstract:
Motivating operations alter the value of a consequence and increase or decrease the current likelihood of behavior that has previously been followed by that consequence. Unconditioned motivating operations do not require a learning history to alter the effectiveness of a reinforcer, whereas conditioned motivating operations (CMOs; reflexive, transitive, and surrogate) require a learning history to alter the effectiveness of consequences and occur frequently in clinical practice. This paper reviews applied and basic research on CMOs published since Langthorne and McGill, Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2, 22-31, (2009) and translates key findings into practical guidance for clinicians. In addition, research on CMOs is integrated into clinical examples and practice guidelines to assist practitioners with the successful identification and integration of CMOs into behavior-analytic interventions. Potential implications of this paper include improved accuracy in identifying the motivating variables that influence challenging behavior, enhanced selection of function-based treatments, and greater precision in arranging antecedent conditions to strengthen appropriate alternative behavior.
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