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A technology for program maintenance: programming key researcher behaviors in a student housing cooperative
D E Altus1, T M Welsh, L K Miller
1Department of Human Development and Family Life, University of Kansas, Lawrence 66045.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Researchers developed systematic procedures for peer recognition in a student housing cooperative, improving job performance and reducing negative behaviors. This reduces reliance on researchers for program sustainability.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Organizational Psychology
- Program Management
Background:
- Behavioral researchers' roles in program success are critical but often unanalyzed.
- Reliance on researchers for program maintenance can be impractical, expensive, and unpopular.
- Student housing cooperatives often depend on close researcher supervision for survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To replace researcher-led public recognition with systematic, member-driven peer recognition procedures.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of these new procedures by comparing job performance with and without member-delivered recognition.
Main Methods:
- Implemented systematic procedures for members to provide public recognition to each other for good job performance.
- Compared job performance metrics before and after the implementation of peer recognition procedures.
- Tracked fines for poor job performance and instances of complaining at meetings.
Main Results:
- Job performance significantly increased when member-delivered recognition procedures were in place.
- Fines for poor job performance decreased.
- Instances of complaining at meetings were reduced.
Conclusions:
- Systematic procedures can effectively reduce program reliance on researchers.
- These procedures are inexpensive, sustainable, and acceptable to participants.
- This represents a step toward a technology for program maintenance.