Which term describes a stimulus that signals reinforcement availability for a response?

• A. Establishing operation
• B. Duration
• C. Discriminative stimulus
• D. Ecology

Answer: (C)

Discriminative stimulus is a cue that signals reinforcement is available for a given response. It sets the occasion for the behavior to occur because the reinforcement contingency applies only when that cue is present. It doesn’t provide reinforcement itself; it signals that the response will be reinforced if emitted now, guiding behavior through stimulus control. For example, a teacher’s prompt or a specific instruction can serve as the cue that reinforcement is available for the desired response. The other terms don’t describe signals for reinforcement availability: an establishing operation changes how much the reinforcer is valued, duration is a measure of time, and ecology refers to broader environmental relationships rather than reinforcement signaling.