Which behavioral aspect is altered by motivating operations?

Motivating operations significantly influence the value of reinforcers, which is why this choice is the correct answer. Motivating operations are environmental events or conditions that can increase or decrease the effectiveness of a particular reinforcer. For example, if an individual is deprived of a particular resource, such as food or water, that resource’s value as a reinforcer increases. Conversely, if the individual has had ample access to that resource, its value diminishes.

This concept is essential in behavior analysis because it helps practitioners understand that the same behavior may be reinforced differently under varying conditions, depending on how valuable the reinforcer is at that moment. By adjusting conditions or understanding motivating operations, you can better predict and influence behavior.

The other choices, while related to reinforcement and behavior, do not capture how motivating operations directly impact behavioral aspects. The schedule of reinforcement pertains to the timing and frequency of reinforcement delivery rather than the value of the reinforcer. Similarly, the frequency of reinforcement relates to how often reinforcement is given, which can be influenced by various factors but not by motivating operations directly altering the value. Lastly, the delivery of aversive stimuli pertains to punishment and is not influenced by motivating operations in the same way as the value of positive reinforcers