Effects of FI30 Sec. and FR15 Schedules of Social Reinforcement on Children's Response Rate and Persistence on a Simple Motor Task

Abstract

Based on comparisons of various studies of social reinforcement with children, it was hypothesized that children who were praised on an F30 sec. schedule would persist at a task longer than those praised on an FR schedule. The effects of the different schedules on response rate were also assessed. Subjects were 60 boys and 50 girls attending second and third grades. Half of the subjects were instructed to play a marble-dropping game and were stopped after 8 min., while the other half were permitted to play as long as they wished, up to a maximum of 30 min. For each instructional condition, praise was offered according to FR schedules (FR15 or FRn), F30 sec. schedule contingent on marble dropping or on a nonfocal response, or not at all. The major hypothesis was confirmed; subjects persisted longer when praised according to FI schedules than when praised according to FR schedules or not at all. An interaction obtained between the sex of the subject and the schedule of praise with the rate measures under the time-limit instructions. Boys had higher response-rate increments than girls under FR schedules, while girls performed faster under FI schedules. This finding was interpreted in light of various developmental studies which indicated that boys of this age are more task-oriented than girls, who are more person-oriented.