Example 1: CMO-T (Transitive) – Forgotten Phone Charger
Scenario: You realize your phone battery is at 5%, and you forgot your charger at home. You now begin searching frantically for a spare charger or asking coworkers if they have one you can borrow.
Why it’s a CMO: This is a CMO-T (Transitive) because the lack of a charged phone has created a condition in which something else (the charger) now becomes valuable in the moment. The value of the charger is not due to an inherent biological need, but because of its relation to the condition created — low battery. The phone needing to be charged makes the charger a reinforcer, and your behavior is altered to seek it (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2020).
Example 2: CMO-R (Reflexive) – Boss’s Angry Tone
Scenario: Every time your boss speaks to you with a raised voice, it is usually followed by a negative outcome, such as a write-up or a critique. Over time, just hearing that tone causes you to feel anxious and motivates you to avoid or appease your boss.
Why it’s a CMO: This is a CMO-R (Reflexive) because the boss’s tone becomes a warning signal that something aversive is likely to happen. It alters the value of escape or avoidance behaviors and increases behaviors that reduce the likelihood of punishment (like being overly polite or hiding mistakes). The tone functions as a warning and increases the effectiveness of avoiding confrontation as a reinforcer (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2020).
Reference:
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.