Related Experiment Videos
An analysis of choice making in the assessment of young children with severe behavior problems
J W Harding1, D P Wacker, W K Berg
1University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.
Insights
This study explored how positive and negative reinforcement affect preschool children's behavior. Findings indicate that children's choices are influenced by parent attention, toys, and instructions, especially when problem behaviors are present.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Applied Behavior Analysis
Background:
- Severe problem behavior in preschool-aged children presents significant challenges for families.
- Understanding the influence of reinforcement is crucial for developing effective interventions.
- Concurrent choice assessments offer a method to evaluate competing reinforcers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the effects of positive and negative reinforcement on time allocation, problem behavior, and instruction following.
- To analyze children's choices in a concurrent assessment involving parent attention, toys, and instructions.
- To extend reinforcer assessment procedures by considering both positive and negative reinforcement.
Main Methods:
- A concurrent choice assessment was used with two preschool-aged children exhibiting severe problem behavior.
- Choice options included varying availability of parent attention, preferred toys, and parent instructions.
- Behavioral patterns were observed and analyzed based on reinforcement contingencies.
Main Results:
- Both children consistently chose options with parent attention when no instructions were present.
- Behavioral patterns differed when instructions were paired with attention, influenced by the presence or absence of preferred toys.
- Differential responding indicated the interplay of positive and negative reinforcement in decision-making.
Conclusions:
- Parent attention is a significant reinforcer for young children, particularly in the absence of competing stimuli.
- The presence of preferred toys can modulate the influence of instructions and attention, affecting behavior.
- This study highlights the importance of considering both positive and negative reinforcement within a concurrent-operants framework for understanding and intervening in problem behavior.
Abstract:
We examined how positive and negative reinforcement influenced time allocation, occurrence of problem behavior, and completion of parent instructions during a concurrent choice assessment with 2 preschool-aged children who displayed severe problem behavior in their homes. The children were given a series of concurrent choice options that varied availability of parent attention, access to preferred toys, and presentation of parent instructions. The results showed that both children consistently allocated their time to choice areas that included parent attention when no instructions were presented. When parent attention choice areas included the presentation of instructions, the children displayed differential patterns of behavior that appeared to be influenced by the presence or absence of preferred toys. The results extended previous applications of reinforcer assessment procedures by analyzing the relative influence of both positive and negative reinforcement within a concurrent-operants paradigm.