Significant Reinforcement Effect Research Articles

Group Compatibility and the Modification of Affective Verbalizations

To investigate group compatibility effects as measured by the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation‐Behaviour (FIRO–B) test, 30 male and 18 female undergraduates were selected from an initial pool of 96 students. Four‐person groups, high or low on compatibility on FIRO–B dimensions, were chosen. The resulting 12 groups were assigned to levels of a three‐factor experiment: compatibility, FIRO–B dimension and reinforcement. The principal dependent variable was frequency of here‐and‐now affect, empathy or feedback statements. Significant reinforcement and compatibility effects were found. The latter were primarily present when reinforcement was given. Minor findings were discussed and it was concluded that the superiority of compatible groups is attributable to greater cohesion and mutual support for risk‐taking.

The Effects of Social Reinforcement and Audience Presence Upon the Motor Performance of Boys with Different Levels of Initial Ability.

High-and low-ability subjects were tested for 25 trials on a stabilometer balancing task in order to investigate the interaction effect of audience and social reinforcement conditions upon complex motor performance. Audience (passive audience, no audience), social reinforcement (positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, no reinforcement), and initial ability level (high, low) were incorporated in a 2 × 3 × 2 design. The performance data were blocked into five blocks of five trials each for analysis. Although there were no significant audience and social reinforcement effects over all trials, in later performance (Blocks 4-5) the positive reinforcement group performed significantly better than the no-reinforcement group, with the negative reinforcement group performing at an intermediate level.

Reinforcement effects on intrinsic interest: Undermining the overjustification hypothesis

An intensive design laboratory experiment was conducted to examine the effects of extrinsic (token) reinforcement on children's intrinsic interest in a play activity. Five second grade children were given access to follow-the-dots picture completion books. Their baseline performance of this activity was recorded for two weeks. A token reinforcement phase ensued, during which subjects earned points redeemable for prizes when their daily performances exceeded those observed during baseline. Following this reward phase, two subsequent baseline phases were instituted over a six week follow-up period. Results verified that a significant reinforcement effect had occurred ( p

少數訓練試行事態における部分強化効果

In 2 experiments, 2 intertrial intervals (90sec or 24hr) and reinforcement schedules (continuous or partial) were combined factorially for 60 rats in straight alley type learning. One 320-mg pellet per reinforced trial was given in Exp. I, and sixteen 20-mg pellets in Exp. II. The rats received only 5 training and 20 extinction trials. A significant partial reinforcement effect (PRE) was obtained irrespectively of the length of intertrial interval or of the number of pellets. The data were not consistent with Amsel's hypothesis that the small-trial PRE was affected by the number of pellets given. Several implications of the present results were discussed in relation to Capaldi's stimulus-aftereffect hypothesis.

Effect of Verbal Praise and Reproof on Balance Board Performance of College Males and Females

The experiment tested the effect of verbal praise and reproof on performance on a balance board similar in principle to that described by Reynolds (1952). Eight female college students tested 48 college males and 48 college females and administered standard verbal comments of praise to one-half the Ss (randomly designated) and reproof to the remaining Ss. Each examiner tested 12 Ss on three separate occasions, and Ss performed six 30-sec. trials on each occasion. Four examiners tested male Ss, and four tested female Ss. The estimate of internal consistency for the mean of six trials for males was .91 and .94 for females. Ss were initially told that the testing was being done to establish norms, but the true purpose was made known on completion of the experiment. Analysis of covariance, computed by analysis of variance of residual gain scores, yielded no significant reinforcement (praise and reproof) effect. The mean of two nonreinforced trials was used in computing residual gain scores. There was a significant (# < .01) Reinforcement-by-Examiner interaction. Reproof administered by one personable and physically attractive examiner greatly improved performance, but reproof administered by another, who was not personable and was plain in appearance, decreased performance. Examiners had practiced a standard testing procedure prior to the experiment and minimized extraneous conversation with Ss during the experiment. There were no other observable differences of consequence among these two examiners and the six remaining examiners. The confounding of reinforcement with examiner appearance was unplanned. It is possible that the effect of praise and reproof is dependent on examiner characteristics and sociocultural gender factors. The significant Reinforcement-by-Examiner interaction emphasized the need for including an examiner factor in reinforcement studies. Hakstian and Brickner (1968) have reported an Investigator-by-Reinforcement interaction in a verbal-conditioning experiment. The absence of an examiner factor in other studies may, in part, explain apparently conflicting reports on effects of praise and reproof.

Social reinforcement effects on preschool children's motor performance.

The effects of positive, negative, and combined social reinforcement on the accuracy of motor performance among 25 preschool boys and 25 girls was determined. Reinforcement was administered on a contingency basis. Arithmetic error indicated significant differences between the sexes for initial trials. No significant social reinforcement effects were obtained. The failure of social reinforcement to influence complex motor performance was explained by the lack of control by an individual in varying his own performance.

SECONDARY REINFORCEMENT VALUE OF STIMULI ASSOCIATED WITH SHOCK REDUCTION.

An experiment is described in which 32 rats were tested to determine if an escape box which had been previously associated with shock reduction had secondary reinforcement value. Subjects were tested in both a fear and a neutral situation. Significant secondary reinforcement effects were found in both situations. However, contary to expectations, greater secondary reinforcement effects were obtained in the neutral than in the fear situation.

Secondary reinforcement in a discrimination problem with children.

There have been relatively few studies of the role of secondary reinforcers in motivating the performance of children. Nor are many data available on the effectiveness of secondary reinforcers in maintaining discrimination learning. The present study was designed to contribute information on both of these points, by investigating the effectiveness of secondary reinforcers in discrimination learning in children. Two relevant studies have been carried out with adults. Hubbard (4) trained adults with a red light as a reinforcer and an accompanying tone as a secondary reinforcer for correct discriminative responses. He obtained a highly significant secondary reinforcement effect; the experimental group made more correct responses during extinction trials than did either of two control groups. Fort, Myers, and Myers (3) also investigated discrimination problem performance, with a more clearly defined than that used by Hubbard. Hubbard's primary reward was a red light used to indicate correct responses; Fort and Meyers gave Ss a poker chip, exchangeable for five cents at the end of the session. The results of the two studies were highly similar.