EO vs. AO

Establishing Operations vs. Abolishing Operations

Establishing operations are motivating operations that momentarily increase the effectiveness of some stimulus, object or event as a reinforcer. For example,food deprivation establishes food as an effective reinforcer. An abolishing operations do the opposite as they are motivating operations that momentarily decrease the effectiveness of some stimulus, object or event as a reinforcer.  For example, food satiation establishes food as not an effective reinforcer. In other words; when you're full you're not going to find food very motivating.

For example: If there is a glass of water on Mrs. Miller’s desk that untouched glass of water serves as an SD which simply means that it is signifying  that reinforcement is available (if she so chooses to drink it). As she keeps lecturing to her students, she begins to get parched (state of deprivation for water) she then has an EO to pick up the water and drink it (now becomes a MO) once she is no longer thirsty (satiated from the water) which she then has an AO to put the glass of water down which it resumes its role as an SD and is no longer an MO.

Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd Edition). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson Education.