Social Reinforcement and Maze Learning in Children

Abstract

An experiment was carried out on 80 boys and girls, at 2 age levels, into the effects of social reinforcement upon maze learning. 4 treatment conditions were used: no social reinforcement, positive social reinforcement only, negative social reinforcement only, and combined positive and negative social reinforcement. The treatment effect was highly significant; Ss learned most well under combined social reinforcement and least well under no social reinforcement. A significant interaction between sex of S and treatment was found. Girls were more influenced by social reinforcement from a male E than were boys.