What Are Motivating Operations in ABA Therapy?

A motivating operation (MO) in ABA therapy is anything that temporarily changes what motivates someone. It affects how much they want something — whether that’s a favorite toy, snack, attention, or a break — and how likely they are to communicate or engage in a behavior to get it. 

Consider Benny, a five-year-old with autism who attends daily ABA sessions. Some days, his therapy takes place during lunchtime. His therapist skillfully recognizes this motivating operation and taps into it to improve engagement — she offers a favorite snack as positive reinforcement between completed tasks.

If you have a child with autism or developmental delays, understanding what motivates them is key to fostering skill development both during therapy and at home. In this article, we’ll explain how motivating operations work and why they’re essential to effective ABA therapy services.

What Is a Motivating Operation (MO) in ABA?

The concept of motivating operations was originally introduced by behavior analyst Jack Michael as establishing operations.[1] Later, researchers refined the terminology to motivating operations, recognizing that environmental events can either increase or decrease the value of a reinforcer.[2] Reinforcers are anything that’s provided after the behavior to increase its frequency — for example, providing a favorite toy, praise, or a short break after the child completes a task.

BCBAs use reinforcers as a form of positive reinforcement in ABA therapy. As they decide which reinforcers to use, therapists consider the presence of any MOs. 

For example, a toddler who didn’t have lunch before his early intervention ABA therapy session is likely hungry. The therapist may recognize this motivating operation and use small bites of a snack as a reinforcer to encourage communication or practice a new skill.

Because motivating operations play such an important role in helping children learn new skills, they’re one of the core concepts that BCBAs are trained to understand and apply when designing individualized treatment plans.

How MOs Differ from Reinforcers and Punishers

ABA therapy uses the Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) framework to understand why behaviors happen and how children learn new skills. Every behavior has an antecedent (what happens before the behavior), the behavior itself, and a consequence (what happens afterward). Motivating operations (MOs), reinforcers, and punishers all play different roles within this framework:

• MOs are a type of antecedent, meaning they occur before a behavior and temporarily change how much a child wants a particular reinforcer. 
• Reinforcers are consequences that occur after a behavior to increase its future frequency. 
• Punishers are consequences that occur after a behavior to decrease its future frequency. 

How MOs Differ from Discriminative Stimuli (SDs)

An MO changes how much your child wants a reinforcer, while a discriminative stimulus (SD) signals that the reinforcer is available if they perform the correct behavior.

For example, if a child hasn’t been able to play with a favorite toy car for a while, their increased desire to play with it is the motivating operation. When their therapist holds up the toy and waits for the child to ask for it, the toy serves as the discriminative stimulus because it lets the child know they can get the toy by asking for it.

What Are the Two Types of Motivating Operations?

Because motivation can either increase or decrease at any given moment, behavior analysts classify MOs into two categories: establishing operations (EOs) and abolishing operations (AOs).

Establishing Operations (EOs): Examples

An establishing operation (EO) makes a reinforcer more valuable, increasing your child’s motivation to earn it. Examples of EOs include:

• Feeling hungry, making a favorite snack more motivating
• Feeling thirsty, making a drink more rewarding
• Spending time alone, making attention from a parent or therapist more valuable
• Not having access to a favorite toy for a while, making the toy more motivating to earn

Abolishing Operations (AOs): Examples

An abolishing operation (AO) makes a reinforcer less valuable, reducing your child’s motivation to work for it. Examples of AOs include:

• Feeling full after a meal, making a snack less motivating
• Drinking enough water, making a beverage less rewarding
• Receiving plenty of attention, making praise or interaction less reinforcing
• Playing with a favorite toy for a long time, making it less exciting as a reinforcer

What’s the Difference Between Unconditioned and Conditioned MOs?

Another way that motivating operations are categorized is by whether they are based on an innate biological need — unconditioned — or must be learned over time — conditioned. Knowing the difference helps therapists choose the right strategies to encourage communication, learning, and independence.

Unconditioned Motivating Operations (UMOs)

Unconditioned motivating operations (UMOs) are inborn and relate to basic biological needs — such as hunger, thirst, sleep, or temperature.

Conditioned Motivating Operations (CMOs): Surrogate, Reflexive, Transitive

Conditioned motivating operations (CMOs) are acquired over time based on environmental cues and past associations with reinforcements or punishments. Behavior analysts group them into three types:

Surrogate CMOs: MOs that have been repeatedly associated with another motivating operation. For example, a child may become excited when they see their lunchbox because they have learned it means lunchtime is coming.

Reflexive CMOs: MOs that signal a preferred outcome or the chance to avoid an unpleasant one. For example, seeing a visual schedule motivates a child to complete their activity and proceed to playtime.

Transitive CMOs: MOs that make another item or event more valuable — in other words, a means to an end. For example, if a favorite toy is locked inside a container, the key becomes more valuable because it’s needed to get the toy.

Term	What it does	ABA – example
Establishing Operation (EO)	Increases the value of a reinforcer and the behavior that gets it	A child hasn’t had access to a favorite toy all day
Abolishing Operation (AO)	Decreases the value of a reinforcer and the behavior that gets it	A child just finished a snack
Unconditioned MO (UMO)	Innate, biological; no learning required	Hunger, thirst, fatigue, pain
Surrogate (CMO-S)	Learned by pairing with an existing MO	A timer paired with hunger cues starts to increase food-seeking on its own
Reflexive (CMO-R)	Signals things are about to get better or worse	A raised voice that has preceded demands increases escape-motivated behavior
Transitive (CMO-T)	Makes one thing valuable because it’s needed to get something else	A key becomes valuable only because it opens a locked snack cabinet

How Do Therapists Use Motivating Operations in Real Sessions?

By recognizing the child’s motivating operations at any given moment, therapists can adjust their teaching strategies to increase engagement and encourage desired behaviors. Some ways therapists use motivating operations during a session include:

Choosing the most effective reinforcer for the moment. 

Example: Using a snack for a hungry child.

Limiting access to a preferred toy or activity so it remains motivating. 

Example: Setting a favorite toy aside until after a target skill is practiced.

Introducing brief breaks to maintain motivation and engagement. 

Example: Offering a short break after completing a task

Spotting an MO During a Session or at Home

Motivating operations are always changing from day to day and moment to moment. Therapists and caregivers can look out for changes by closely monitoring what a child is interested in — or not interested in — at any given time. For example, they may:

• Observe what the child chooses first, such as reaching for a favorite toy or asking for a snack
• Offer a few different options to see which toy, activity, or reward the child prefers at that moment
• Watch how motivation changes after the child has eaten, played with a toy, received attention, or taken a break

Using MOs Ethically (What the BACB Says About Deprivation)

Temporarily withholding a desired item or activity is an establishing operation (a type of MO) that can make an item or activity more valuable. ABA therapists may use this strategy to encourage communication and other important skills, but there are clear ethical boundaries around how motivating operations are used.

Therapists do not withhold basic needs such as food, water, sleep, or medical care to increase motivation. Instead, they work within the child’s normal routines — for example, practicing a skill before snack time when the child is naturally hungry or using a favorite toy that hasn’t been played with for a while.

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) requires behavior analysts to prioritize each child’s health, safety, dignity, and well-being whenever motivating operations and reinforcement are used.

Ready to Put Motivating Operations to Work for Your Child?

By understanding what motivates every child, the team at United Care ABA creates personalized therapy that makes learning engaging, meaningful, and effective. We understand that ABA therapy should see your child as an individual — not just a set of behaviors to change or a list of skills to master. 

Whether your child receives in-office ABA therapy, in-home ABA therapy, or virtual ABA therapy, every treatment plan is tailored to their unique strengths, interests, and goals.

Ready to take the next step? Contact United Care ABA today to learn how our personalized ABA therapy services can support your child’s growth and help your family thrive.

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FAQs

What is a motivating operation in ABA?

A motivating operation (MO) is an environmental event that temporarily changes how much someone wants a specific reinforcer and how likely they are to work for it. It’s a core concept in Applied Behavior Analysis for understanding why behavior happens when it does.

What are some everyday examples of establishing and abolishing operations?

Hunger before a meal is an establishing operation (EO), as it increases how much food is wanted. Feeling full after eating is an abolishing operation (AO), as it decreases how much more food is wanted. The same pattern applies to other reinforcers like attention, breaks, and toys.

What’s the difference between a motivating operation and a discriminative stimulus?

A motivating operation changes how much someone wants a reinforcer. A discriminative stimulus (SD) signals that a reinforcer is available if a specific behavior occurs. MOs affect motivation while SDs signal opportunity.

What is a conditioned motivating operation (CMO)?

A CMO is a learned motivating operation rather than a biological one. It comes in three forms: surrogate, reflexive, and transitive. It develops through an individual’s specific learning history rather than existing from birth.

How do BCBAs use motivating operations in therapy?

BCBAs identify a learner’s current MOs during functional assessments and time teaching moments to when motivation for a target reinforcer is naturally high. This makes reinforcement more effective and skill acquisition faster.