Trial, error, and the obvious: Control of “clean-up” behavior in a summer camp

✍ Scribed by Henry C. Rickard; Jerry L. Hart

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 232 KB
• Volume: 1
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0090-4392
• DOI: 10.1002/1520-6629(197304)1:2<217::aid-jcop2290010219>3.0.co;2-z

✦ Synopsis

PROBLEM

Control of "clean-up" behavior has been demonstrated with individuals labeled psychotic ( l ), predelinquent ('), delinquent In these studies, token reinforcement was the consequence most frequently manipulated. Contingency management of immediate environmental events also may be effective. For example, Lattal(6), citing the Premack Principle"), and Homrne's(*) pioneer work in contingency management, made swimming periods contingent upon after-lunch toothbrushing-and quickly gained control of that target behavior in a group of campers.

The study reported here was initiated as a token reinforcement program. However, when it became evident that, contrary to past experiencesca, *), the token system was exerting minimal control, contingency management of an environmental event (breakfast) was introduced.