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Shaping academic task engagement with percentile schedules
Elizabeth S Athens1, Timothy R Vollmer, Claire C St Peter Pipkin
1University of Florida, Gainesville 32611, USA.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|November 1, 2007
Summary
Percentile schedules effectively quantify shaping procedures in education. Using more observations to set reinforcement criteria (m parameter) improved the effectiveness of this educational technology.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Behavior Analysis
Background:
- Shaping is a fundamental behavior modification technique.
- Quantifying shaping procedures can be challenging in educational contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate percentile schedules for quantifying shaping in education.
- To investigate the impact of the number of observations (m parameter) on shaping effectiveness.
Main Methods:
- Compared task engagement duration during baseline versus percentile schedule conditions.
- Manipulated the 'm parameter' (number of observations) in the percentile formula.
Main Results:
- Percentile schedules demonstrated effectiveness in quantifying shaping.
- The percentile formula was most effective with a larger 'm' value (20 observations).
Conclusions:
- Percentile schedules offer a viable method for quantifying educational shaping.
- Optimizing the 'm parameter' is crucial for maximizing the efficacy of percentile schedules in behavior modification.
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