Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Modeling Verbal Behavior Deficits with the Stimulus Control Ratio Equation, SCoRE
06:57

Modeling Verbal Behavior Deficits with the Stimulus Control Ratio Equation, SCoRE

Published on: May 14, 2019

The effects of a high-probability instruction sequence and response-independent reinforcer delivery on child

Chrystin Bullock1, Matthew P Normand

  • 1Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne 32901, USA.

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|January 24, 2007
PubMed

Insights

This study found that both high-probability (high-p) instruction sequences and fixed-time (FT) reinforcement schedules effectively increased compliance in children. These methods may enhance obedience without demanding specific responses beforehand.

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Psychology
  • Child Development
  • Applied Behavior Analysis

Background:

  • Compliance is crucial for children's development and learning.
  • Understanding effective strategies to increase child compliance is essential for parents and educators.
  • Previous research explored various reinforcement schedules, but direct comparisons of high-probability sequences and fixed-time schedules for compliance are less common.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy of a high-probability (high-p) instruction sequence versus a fixed-time (FT) schedule of reinforcement in improving compliance in typically developing children.
  • To investigate if compliance can be increased without the explicit response requirements inherent in high-p sequences.

Main Methods:

  • A multielement experimental design with a reversal component was employed.
  • A multiple baseline across participants arrangement was used to assess the effects on two typically developing children.
  • Compliance was measured under both high-p and FT conditions.

Main Results:

  • Both the high-p instruction sequence and the FT schedule of reinforcement led to increased compliance for both participating children.
  • The positive effects on compliance were observed during the multielement sessions under both experimental conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Both high-p instruction sequences and FT reinforcement schedules appear to be effective in increasing child compliance.
  • It may be feasible to enhance compliance by utilizing reinforcement schedules that do not necessitate a specific response requirement, such as those in high-p sequences.

More Related Videos

Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses14:05

Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses

Published on: January 23, 2017

Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats09:12

Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats

Published on: March 17, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Reinforcement Schedules01:24

Reinforcement Schedules

Positive reinforcement is a powerful method for teaching new behaviors to both animals and humans. B.F. Skinner demonstrated this with his experiments using rats in a Skinner box. When a rat pressed a lever, it received a food pellet. This immediate reward encouraged the rat to repeat the behavior. This method, where a reward follows every instance of the behavior, is known as continuous reinforcement. It is highly effective for establishing new behaviors quickly.
Once a behavior is learned,...
Operant Conditioning01:21

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning, a key concept in behavioral psychology, involves using reinforcement and punishment to alter the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. B.F. introduced this type of conditioning. Skinner focused on voluntary behaviors and the consequences that follow them, influencing whether these behaviors will be strengthened or diminished.
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...
Timing and Consequences on Behavior01:08

Timing and Consequences on Behavior

In operant conditioning, the timing of reinforcement is crucial. For animals like rats and cats, immediate reinforcement (within a few seconds) is much more effective than delayed reinforcement. For example, a food reward for a rat needs to follow within 30 seconds of pressing a bar to be effective. 
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...
Operant Conditioning Intervention01:24

Operant Conditioning Intervention

Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
Law of Effect01:06

Law of Effect

B.F. Skinner, a prominent figure in behavioral psychology, introduced operant conditioning by emphasizing the role of consequences in shaping behavior. This theory builds upon the law of effect proposed by Edward Thorndike, which posits that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are likely to be repeated. In contrast, those followed by unsatisfying outcomes are less likely to recur.
Edward Thorndike's foundational work involved studying learning in animals, particularly using puzzle boxes...
Role of Shaping in Operant Conditioning01:19

Role of Shaping in Operant Conditioning

Shaping is a technique used in operant conditioning to train complex behaviors by rewarding successive approximations toward the target behavior. This method is necessary because organisms are unlikely to perform complex behaviors spontaneously. Instead, shaping breaks down the desired behavior into small, manageable steps.
The steps involved in shaping begin with reinforcing any response that resembles the desired behavior. For example, parents might praise a child for picking up one toy. As...