When an individual has not had enough of a desired item or experience, what is the expected outcome on reinforcement?

When an individual has not had enough of a desired item or experience, that item or experience often becomes more effective as reinforcement. This is based on the principle of deprivation in behavioral psychology, which suggests that when a reinforcer is scarce or less frequently experienced, its value increases. For example, if a person has been deprived of a specific food they enjoy, the likelihood of that food serving as a powerful motivator or reward increases because of the individual's heightened desire for it.

This concept is related to the idea of motivation and reinforcement. The more an individual craves a particular item or experience, the stronger the motivation to engage in behaviors that will lead to obtaining that item or experience. This heightened effectiveness of the reinforcer is an essential aspect of how reinforcement works in behavior modification and learning contexts.