TOKEN ECONOMYREWARD SYSTEM

By: Melanie Ma

CBSE 7202. NET

CBSE 7202.NET

Table of ContentsStatement of Problem

Hypothesis and Research Design

Review of the Literature

Methods

Threats to Internal and External Validity

Data Analysis

Discussions and Implications

3

4

5

6

8

9

11 & 12

References 13

Problem StatementTeachers are generally unprepared to manage

the classroom. As a result, an easy-to-implement program is necessary to minimize student intervention in the classroom (Lannie & McCurdy, 2007). Not all schools provide teachers with professional development training in managing student disruptive behaviors. Educators need to search for an effective method for classroom management.

Research Question: Will the implementation of a token economy reward system minimize disruptive behavior in the classroom?

The token economy system has been a behavior modifier for at least 40 years. It is often used to help create a therapeutic environment. Reeve, S., Reeve, K., Dawn, & Poulson (2007) conducted a study to determine whether token reinforcement can be used to encourage students students with autism to perform on task activities and learn to perform appropriate classroom behavior such as putting materials away, setting up an activity, waiting for their turn to speak and etc. Results indicated that participants are able to engage in less disruptive activities .

Review of LiteratureIn the 19th century token reinforcement is a popular behavior modification method in England and the United States. (Stilitz,2009). This system has been implemented to improve on and off task behaviors by distributing tangible rewards.

Research Design Pre-Experimental Design: One-Shot Case Study Symbolic Design: XO The experimental group is exposed to a treatment (X)

and then observations (O) are made.

Hypothesis Statement

The implementation of a token economy reward system 45 to 60 minutes, twice a week for six weeks, to two first grade and three second grade students in a private afterschool tutoring center located in Manhattan, New York will minimize disruptive behavior in the classroom.

• History: Unforeseeable events such as the principal implementing a reward system can affect the students’ behavior.

• Maturation: As students mature or as time progress, students might lose interest in the rewards.

• Novelty: The teacher’s concern about the students’ behavior can cause students to be more aware of their behavior.

• Experimental Mortality: Students changing classes can lower the amount of participants in the research.

• Instrumentation: The observation period is too short to determine how students act throughout the whole afterschool session.

• Differential Selection of Subjects: Socioeconomic status affects the attractiveness of the rewards distributed.

Threats to Internal Validity

Multiple Treatment: It is difficult to determine if a positive behavior occurs because the student wants a reward or because the act of the positive behavior is appropriate in a certain situation.

Reactive Arrangements/Participants Effect: Hawthorne Effect- Students behave well due to being observed by the researcher.

Treatment Diffusion: Students might discuss with each other about their reasons why they behave the way they do in the classroom during the research.

Experimenter Effects: A strict experimenter might decrease the occurrence of negative behavior.

Threats to External Validity

School: Private Afterschool Tutoring Center Location: Manhattan, New York Duration of Action Research: Nov.-Dec. 2013

Procedure: For every 15 minutes, if no disruptive behavior occurs, participants received a paper token (1 point). A small tangible reward can be exchanged for 10 paper tokens. The number of tokens received was logged on a behavior chart.

For students who were disruptive and received no tokens for the observation period were reminded that it is important to behave appropriately to receive paper tokens.

Methods

Participants: 2 First Graders and 3 Second GradersObservations: 45-60 minutes observations (twice a week) for 5 weeks

2 3 4 50

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The Influence of Reward Preference on the Importance of Receiving Rewards

Reward Preference

Impo

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ceiv

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Rew

ards

Independent variable: Reward Preference

Dependent Variable:Importance of Receiving Rewards

There is a strong negative correlation (rxy=-0.5) between reward preference and the importance of receiving rewards in First graders.

Data Analysis

Independent variable: Reward Preference

Dependent Variable:Importance of Receiving Rewards

There is a strong negative correlation (rxy=-1) between reward preference and the importance of receiving rewards in second graders.

2 3 4 50

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The Influence of Reward Preference on the Importance of Receiving Rewards

Reward PreferenceImpo

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f Rec

eiv-

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Rew

ards

Data Analysis

DiscussionResults did not support hypothesis or studies mentioned in the literature review stating that token reinforcement is an effective approach to minimizing disruptive behavior.

Possible Reasons:-Noisy learning environment-Many distractions-Teachers did not strictly implement their own classroom reward system.

Implications From conducting this ARP, results show that token reinforcement may not always be effective in modifying behavior in every classroom environment. Anderson and Spaulding (2007) wrote an article to present effective classroom management strategies in which teachers can implement in the classroom to monitor behavior. If behavior were managed correctly with reinforcement, the ongoing problems would diminish. Therefore, more research can be conducted to determine whether or not educators’ implementation of behavior modification techniques along with token reinforcement will increase the efficacy of minimizing student disruptive behavior in the classroom. .

References

Anderson, C., & Spaulding, S. (2007). Using positive behavior support to design effective classrooms. Beyond Behavior, 16(2), 27-31.

Reeve, S. A., Reeve, K. F., Dawn, B. T., & Poulson, C. L. (2007). Establishing a generalized repertoire of helping behavior in children with autism.

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40(1), 123

Stilitz, I. (2009). A token economy of the early 19th century. Journal Of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42(4), 925. doi:10.1901/jaba. 2009.42-925