Comments Regarding Olson, Laraway, and Austin (2001)

Abstract

Olson, Laraway, and Austin (2001) provide an informative introduction to establishing operations (EOs) and their relevance to organizational behavior management. Because the EO concept is relatively new, many issues relevant to it merit discussion. Eight are considered here: (1) If the EO concept is to be useful, empirical techniques must be developed for isolating EOs. (2) A given EO is likely to affect many behaviors and a given behavior is likely to be affected by many EOs. (3) Rules are EOs. (4) EOs relevant to punishment are apt to be ignored. (5) Abolishing operations also are apt to be ignored. (6) EO effects are not necessarily “momentary.” (7) Response frequency (or rate) is not always the best measure of reinforcer effectiveness. (8) The EO concept is invaluable if only because it emphasizes that environmental events, not subjective states, are primarily determinants of the effectiveness of reinforcers and punishers.

Key Words:

• Establishing operation
• abolishing operation
• response frequency
• motivation
• EO