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Reinforcement Delay and Across-Setting Generalization in an Intermediate School Special Class

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2014

Robyn S. Dixon
Affiliation:
University of Auckland
Anne Fitzharris
Affiliation:
University of Auckland
Dennis W. Moore*
Affiliation:
University of Auckland
*
Department of Education, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand
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Abstract

This study investigated the effect of delayed reinforcement on the across-setting generalization of behaviour change. Eight children aged between 11 and 13, members of a special class at an intermediate school, served as subjects. Off-task behaviour was monitored during two classroom lessons: the contingent lesson, performance in which determined subsequent reinforcement, and the generalization lesson, in which no reinforcement contingencies were provided. Two forms of delayed reinforcement: early — delivered immediately following the setting in which the critical behaviour occurred — and late — delivered only after several other settings had been encountered — were sequentially presented in an ABCB design. Off-task behaviour decreased under both reinforcement conditions. However generalization was only evident when the late delayed reinforcement was operating. Results suggest that a temporal delay in the delivery of reinforcement is more likely to lead to generalization of behaviour change than is the delivery of reinforcement immediately following the contingent lesson.

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Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1989

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