Further evaluation of the high-probability instructional sequence with and without programmed reinforcement

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Applied Behavior Analysis

Background:

• Compliance with instructions is crucial for learning and daily functioning.
• Understanding effective reinforcement strategies is key to improving compliance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of reinforcement for high-probability (high-p) instructions on subsequent compliance with low-probability (low-p) instructions.
• To examine the role of reinforcer quality in this effect.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted involving programmed reinforcement for compliance with high-p instructions.
• Experiment 1 compared a high-p sequence with and without edible reinforcers.
• Experiment 2 assessed the effect of praise versus edible reinforcers for high-p compliance.

Main Results:

• A high-p sequence increased compliance with low-p instructions only when accompanied by edible reinforcement.
• Lower quality reinforcement (praise) for high-p compliance did not improve low-p compliance.
• The addition of higher quality reinforcement (edible items) contingent on high-p compliance enhanced low-p compliance.

Conclusions:

• Programmed reinforcement for high-p instructions can be an effective strategy to increase compliance with low-p instructions.
• The effectiveness of this strategy is dependent on the quality of the reinforcer, with higher quality reinforcers yielding better results.
• These findings have implications for designing effective behavioral interventions to improve compliance in various settings.