Deprivation operations (such as not feeding an organism for several hours before a study begins) can only be said to have established the deprived stimulus as a reinforcer if:
A) The time of deprivation is sufficient to create a need for the response
B) The rate of response for the instrumental response increases when it provides contingent access to the deprived stimulus
C) The organism shows noticeable signs of distress
D) The organism's behavior shows the first stages of an extinction burst

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Deprivation operations establish a stimulus as a reinforcer if the organism's rate of response increases when access to the stimulus is contingent on that response. This indicates that the stimulus is indeed motivating and reinforcing the behavior.

Deprivation Operations (Such as Not Feeding an Organism for Several