What is the term for when the desirability of a reward diminishes over time?

The term that best describes the phenomenon where the desirability of a reward diminishes over time is saturation. In the context of behavioral psychology, saturation refers to a situation where an individual has been exposed to a reward so frequently that its appeal decreases, leading to less motivation to pursue it. This concept is particularly relevant in management and organizational behavior, where understanding employee motivation and reward systems is crucial for maintaining high levels of engagement and productivity.

For instance, if an employee is regularly rewarded with a bonus for meeting performance targets, the initial excitement and motivation derived from that bonus may wane over time as they become accustomed to receiving it. In this case, the value of the reward diminishes due to repeated exposure, making it less effective as a motivator.

The other terms do not accurately describe this phenomenon: extinction pertains to the reduction of a behavior due to the removal of reinforcement, shaping refers to the gradual reinforcement of closer approximations to a desired behavior, and measurable simply relates to the ability to quantify something. Therefore, saturation is the most fitting term for when the desirability of a reward diminishes over time.