What is an antecedent for a mand?

A mand is a type of verbal behavior in which an individual requests or commands something they want or need, typically taking the form of a request. The antecedent for a mand is often tied to a specific condition or motivation that prompts the individual to make that request. In this case, the most accurate antecedent for a mand is an establishing operation or deprivation.

An establishing operation refers to the context or state that increases the value of a reinforcer, motivating the individual to communicate their need. For example, if someone is thirsty (deprivation), they may be motivated to request water through a mand. This clarifies the relationship between the state of deprivation and the verbal behavior that follows.

In contrast, distractions, social interactions, and positive reinforcement do not function as direct antecedents for mands in the same way that establishing operations do. Distractions may impede the ability to engage in mands, social interactions might serve different communicative functions (like mands for attention or social interaction rather than a specific want), and positive reinforcement happens after the mand is successfully communicated and fulfilled, rather than being an antecedent that prompts the mand itself. Thus, the role of establishing operations in motivating mands makes it the correct answer.