The effects of reinforcer type and variety on the number of responses by normal one- and two-year-old children

Patricia Ann Dorn, Purdue University

Abstract

Gathering data which will reveal sensory, perceptual, and cognitive abilities of children is essential if we are to have an accurate understanding of the development of these abilities, and if we are to measure abilities of specific children. It is difficult, however, to obtain adequate and reliable measures in children ages 1 to 2. These children are explorers, rarely stay very long in one place, and their attention may be quite fleeting. Use of operant procedures can increase the number of responses obtained. In Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA), an auditory stimulus trial prompts a head-turn response, which is rewarded with a complex visual reinforcer, typically a mechanical toy. Unfortunately, children often habituate to the reinforcer before enough responses can be obtained to the stimuli being tested to answer research or clinical questions. Rotating among a number of reinforcers is one way to increase the number of responses obtained prior to habituation; however, simply increasing the number of mechanical toy reinforcers presents many practical problems. Changing to simple animations presented on a computer monitor may avoid many of the practical problems encountered in the use of mechanical toys and provide the opportunity to choose among a large variety of animations. The study was designed to add additional knowledge about the related issues of reinforcer type and reinforcer variety on response behavior in normal 1- and 2-year-old children. Part I of the study compared the use of a single standard mechanical toy reinforcer with a single animation reinforcer. Part II of the study compared the use of a single animation with varied animations. Results showed that in Part I of the experiment, as predicted, significant differences in mean head-turn responses were not found for different types of complex visual reinforcers with 1- and 2-year-old subjects. In Part II of the study reinforcer variety did not significantly improve mean head-turn responses for 1- or 2-year-olds. Therefore, the type of complex reinforcers used can be expanded. Reinforcer variety warrants further exploration.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Fristoe, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Audiology|Preschool education|Psychology|Experiments|Behaviorial sciences

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