Skip to main content
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis logoLink to Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
. 1969 Summer;2(2):113–118. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1969.2-113

Free-time as a reinforcer in the management of classroom behavior1

J Grayson Osborne 1
PMCID: PMC1311048  PMID: 16795207

Abstract

Six subjects, comprising one class at a school for the deaf, were given reinforcement consisting of time free from school work for remaining seated in the classroom. As a result, the frequency of leaving their chairs was sharply reduced. A second procedure presented free-time not contingent on remaining seated. Little change was seen in the already lowered response rate. An extension of the time required to be seated with corresponding reduction in the number of daily free-time periods did not reduce the effectiveness of the procedure. A one-day observation after six weeks indicated that the procedure was still effective. A one-day contingency reversal, requiring subjects to leave their chairs at least once during each seated period in order to receive free-time, substantially raised the frequency of out-of-seat responses.

Full text

PDF
114

Selected References

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

  1. HOMME L. E., DEBACA P. C., DEVINE J. V., STEINHORST R., RICKERT E. J. USE OF THE PREMACK PRINCIPLE IN CONTROLLING THE BEHAVIOR OF NURSERY SCHOOL CHILDREN. J Exp Anal Behav. 1963 Oct;6:544–544. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1963.6-544. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. PREMACK D. Toward empirical behavior laws. I. positive reinforcement. Psychol Rev. 1959 Jul;66(4):219–233. doi: 10.1037/h0040891. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Staats A. W., Butterfield W. H. Treatment of nonreading in a culturally deprived juvenile delinquent: an application of reinforcement principles. Child Dev. 1965 Dec;36(4):925–942. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Thomas D. R., Becker W. C., Armstrong M. Production and elimination of disruptive classroom behavior by systematically varying teacher's behavior. J Appl Behav Anal. 1968 Spring;1(1):35–45. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1968.1-35. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Wolf M. M., Giles D. K., Hall R. V. Experiments with token reinforcement in a remedial classroom. Behav Res Ther. 1968 Feb;6(1):51–64. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(68)90042-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES