Final answer:
The statement that a motivating operation decreases the reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event is false. The concept pertains to negative punishment, not to motivating operations, which can increase or decrease the value of a reinforcer in operant conditioning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that a motivating operation has a behavior-altering effect in which there is a decrease in the reinforcing effectiveness of some stimulus, object, or event is false. Motivating operations affect the desirability of a reinforcer, but not in the way described in the question. Specifically, in operant conditioning, motivating operations, such as deprivation or satiation, can influence the effectiveness of a reinforcer, potentially increasing or decreasing its value.
The explanation provided in the question pertains more closely to the concept of negative punishment, where a pleasant stimulus is removed to decrease a behavior, rather than a motivating operation altering the reinforcing properties of a stimulus.
Conversely, negative reinforcement involves the removal of an undesirable stimulus to increase the frequency of a behavior, which runs contrary to the statement presented in the question. It is important to understand these definitions to accurately apply behavior modification principles.