Consumption and Response Output as a Function of Unit Price: Manipulation of Cost and Benefit Components

Abstract

We conducted preference assessments with 4 typically developing children to identify potential reinforcers and assessed the reinforcing efficacy of those stimuli. Next, we tested two predictions of economic theory: that overall consumption (reinforcers obtained) would decrease as the unit price (response requirement per reinforcer) increased and that the cost and benefit components that defined unit price would not influence overall consumption considerably when unit price values were equal. We tested these predictions by arranging unit price such that the denominator was one (e.g., two responses produced one reinforcer) or two (e.g., four responses produced two reinforcers). Results showed that consumption decreased as unit price increased and that unit price values with different components produced similar consumption.

Preferences for token exchange‐production schedules: Effects of task difficulty and token‐production schedules

“…Additional research should further assess the demand for reinforcers under different token‐production and exchange‐production schedules to identify schedules that support the greatest response output at the lowest prices. As described by Delmendo et al (), evaluating demand elasticity allows clinicians to identify inelastic areas of demand functions for various reinforcers and schedules of reinforcement to maximize response effort at the lowest possible reinforcer amount. Furthermore, researchers should identify procedures for increasing individuals' preferences for delayed reinforcement associated with accumulated exchange‐production schedules under leaner token‐production schedules using demand or delay fading procedures (e.g., Neef et al, ) or yoking token‐exchange schedules to token‐production schedules to maintain higher levels of reinforcement during increased work requirements or delays to reinforcement.…”

“…Two schedule arrangements with different response requirements and reinforcer magnitudes can yield the same unit price if the response requirement to reinforcer magnitude ratio is held constant. Delmendo, Borrero, Beauchamp, and Francisco () found that if the unit price across two schedules is held constant, individuals prefer the two schedules equally. However, responding may vary across concurrently available schedules with equal unit‐price ratios but with different response requirements.…”

Producing mands in concurrent operant environments

“…All nontarget stimuli were available according to an RI 30‐s schedule. An RI schedule was used in an attempt to decrease the reinforcement rate while avoiding increases in response rates that might occur with initial increases in unit price (Delmendo, Borrero, Beauchamp, & Francisco, ; Hursh, ). An RI schedule with a 30‐s interval was used so that any one interval was not so long that responding was functionally placed on extinction.…”

Recent Developments in Behavioral Intervention Informed by Basic Research

“…Correspondingly, investigations with persons with developmental disabilities have concerned the relative effectiveness of reinforcers as a function of their unit price or related economic variables (DeLeon, Iwata, Goh, & Worsdell, 1997;Delmendo, Borrero, Beauchamp, & Francisco, 2009;Kodak, Lerman, & Call, 2007;Reed et al, 2009;Roane, Call, & Falcomata;2005). Among other contributions, behavioral economic analyses have provided a systematic means for investigating and quantifying relative value among qualitatively dissimilar reinforcers, sometimes by examining these relations when the reinforcers are concurrently available.…”