Effects of response deprivation on the instrumental performance of mentally retarded persons

The accuracy of the response deprivation and probability differential hypotheses to predict reinforcement effects for mentally retarded persons was evaluated. Fifteen individuals listened to music and looked at slides in baseline phases, in reinforcement schedules and in control phases with no contingent relation between the responses. Individual analysis of instrumental responding indicated increases in those schedules that produced response deprivation but only once in schedules that did not, regardless of the probability differential between responses. The conclusions were that the response deprivation hypothesis identified the necessary and sufficient conditions for producing reinforcement for retarded persons and that this hypothesis might provide an alternative approach to reinforcer selection for retarded individuals.