Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) — Question 19

Staff alerts you that one of their clients seems to become aggressive when he has not consumed food for several hours. This phenomenon demonstrates the effect of a(n):

Answer options

• A. Discriminative stimulus
• B. Conditioned stimulus
• C. Establishing operation
• D. Negative reinforcer

Correct answer: C

Explanation

The correct answer is C, Establishing operation, as it explains how the lack of food increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior due to hunger. A discriminative stimulus (A) signals the availability of reinforcement, while a conditioned stimulus (B) is associated with a learned response, and a negative reinforcer (D) removes an unpleasant stimulus but does not directly relate to the client's aggression due to hunger.