Exchange schedules affect the reinforcing efficacy of tokens

Document Type

Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis

Date Completed

2019

First Committee Member

Bourret, Jason

Second Committee Member

Roscoe, Eileen

Third Committee Member

Pinkston, Jonathan

Abstract

"Token economies are commonly used in behavior-analytic interventions, but the relation between the exchange ratio and reinforcing efficacy of a token has not been extensively explored. The purpose of the current study was to compare the reinforcing efficacy of two different tokens, each associated with a different exchange value (e.g., 1:1 and 5:1). Three adolescent males diagnosed with autism participated. A high-preference edible was identified for each participant and was made exchangeable for tokens for the duration of the study. In the first phase of the study, participants were exposed to the exchange schedules associated with each token. In the second phase of the study, sessions were conducted in which participants could select the token-exchange schedule in effect following completion of the target task on a fixed-ratio schedule. For all participants, preference for the token with the smaller exchange ratio (e.g. 1:1) was observed."

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