Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis logoLink to Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
. 1972 Winter;5(4):431–441. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1972.5-431

Parametric effects of reinforcement frequency, amount of reinforcement, and required response force on sheltered workshop behavior1

Stephen R Schroeder 1
PMCID: PMC1310785  PMID: 16795367

Abstract

Three experiments involving parametric manipulation of reinforcement contingencies were performed with retardates in an automated Sheltered Workshop token economy. Experiment I showed that with amount of reinforcement held constant, work rates were positively related to reinforcement rates on fixed-interval schedules and inversely related to reinforcement rates on fixed-ratio schedules. Experiment II demonstrated an interaction between frequency of ratio reinforcement and torque required to complete a work unit: work rates were positively related to reinforcement rates when required response force was high and negatively related to reinforcement rates when required response force was low. Experiment III revealed that, with reinforcement frequency held constant, there was in inverse relationship between amount of reinforcement and work rate.

Full text

PDF
431

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BARRETT B. H., LINDSLEY O. R. Deficits in acquisition of operant discrimination and differentiation shown by institutionalized retarded children. Am J Ment Defic. 1962 Nov;67:424–436. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Catania A. C., Reynolds G. S. A quantitative analysis of the responding maintained by interval schedules of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1968 May;11(3 Suppl):327–383. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1968.11-s327. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. ELLIS N. R. Amount of reward and operant behavior in mental defectives. Am J Ment Defic. 1962 Jan;66:595–599. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. GUTTMAN N. Operant conditioning, extinction, and periodic reinforcement in relation to concentration of sucrose used as reinforcing agent. J Exp Psychol. 1953 Oct;46(4):213–224. doi: 10.1037/h0061893. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. HUTCHINSON R. R., AZRIN N. H. Conditioning of mental-hospital patients to fixed-ratio schedules of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1961 Apr;4:87–95. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1961.4-87. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HUTT P. J. Rate of bar pressing as a function of quality and quantity of food reward. J Comp Physiol Psychol. 1954 Jun;47(3):235–239. doi: 10.1037/h0059855. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Herrnstein R. J. On the law of effect. J Exp Anal Behav. 1970 Mar;13(2):243–266. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1970.13-243. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. KEESEY R. E., KLING J. W. Amount of reinforcement and free-operant responding. J Exp Anal Behav. 1961 Apr;4:125–132. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1961.4-125. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kazdin A. E., Bootzin R. R. The token economy: an evaluative review. J Appl Behav Anal. 1972 Fall;5(3):343–372. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1972.5-343. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. LINDSLEY O. R. Characteristics of the behavior of chronic psychotics as revealed by free-operant conditioning methods. Dis Nerv Syst. 1960 Feb;21(2):66–78. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Long E. R., Hammack J. T., May F., Campbell B. J. Intermittent reinforcement of operant behavior in children. J Exp Anal Behav. 1958 Oct;1(4):315–339. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1958.1-315. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. ORLANDO R., BIJOU S. W. Single and multiple schedules of reinforcement in developmentally retarded children. J Exp Anal Behav. 1960 Oct;3:339–348. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1960.3-339. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Weiner H. Controlling human fixed-interval performance. J Exp Anal Behav. 1969 May;12(3):349–373. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1969.12-349. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Weiner H. Instructional control of human operant responding during extinction following fixed-ratio conditioning. J Exp Anal Behav. 1970 May;13(3):391–394. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1970.13-391. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis are provided here courtesy of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

RESOURCES