Which term denotes a decrease in the frequency of operant behavior due to continued contact with or consumption of a reinforcer that followed the behavior?

• A. Stimulus
• B. Schedule Thinning
• C. Self Control
• D. Satiation

Answer: (D)

Satiation is a motivating operation in which continued contact with or consumption of the reinforcer after the behavior reduces the reinforcer’s current value. As the reinforcer becomes less valuable through repeated exposure, the behavior that produced it occurs less often because the payoff is no longer as motivating. Think of it as the organism getting "full" of the reinforcer—the reward loses its appeal, so the behavior tapping into that reward decreases. This is different from deprivation (which increases reinforcer value) or other concepts like a stimulus or schedule changes, which affect behavior through different mechanisms.