Effects of Task Difficulty and Type of Contingency on Students' Allocation of Responding to Math Worksheets

Abstract

This study investigated students' allocation of responding as a function of task difficulty and type of reinforcement contingency (i.e., accuracy based or time based). Four regular education fourth-grade students were presented with two identical stacks of easy and then difficult math worksheets using a reversal design. Regardless of condition, completing problems from each stack of worksheets was reinforced according to a different contingency; one required correct completion of math problems (accuracy based) and one required on-task behavior (time based). Results suggested that 3 of the 4 students preferred the accuracy-based contingency when given easy material and the time-based contingency when given difficult material. One student allocated more responding to the accuracy-based contingency when given easy problems but did not show a clear preference for either contingency with difficult problems. The implications of these findings for designing reinforcement-based programs for tasks of varying difficulty are discussed.

Sensitivity and Bias Under Conditions of Equal and Unequal Academic Task Difficulty

“…This increase constitutes a significant difference in allocation between the two experiments, t(8) 5 3.92, p 5 .004 (one tailed). In light of the increase in the bias parameter of the generalized matching equation and the discrimination indexes, these data provide further evidence that the effort manipulation successfully biased responding toward the less effortful alternative in accordance with previous behavioral accounts of effort manipulations (Bradshaw et al, 1981;Cuvo et al, 1998;Lannie & Martens, 2004;Neef & Lutz, 2001;Neef et al, 1994;Weeks & Gaylord-Ross, 1981).…”

“…Approaching academic performance and related behaviors with an understanding of the influence of task effort on responding may prove to be beneficial for instructional design as well as for behavioral programming. For example, when students are assigned work to complete, they are placed in a choice situation that is partly under the control of task difficulty as well as the reinforcement contingencies associated with each alternative (e.g., Lannie & Martens, 2004). Previous research has shown that children choose not to complete difficult tasks when given less effortful alternatives (e.g., Berkowitz & Martens, 2001;Neef & Lutz, 2001).…”

“…Not surprisingly, the role of response effort has been discussed as an explanation for biased responding across response alternatives. Previous research has suggested that children's choice in response allocation, particularly academic engagement, is often a function of the effort required to complete a task as well as competing sources of reinforcement for each alternative (e.g., Lannie & Martens, 2004;Neef & Lutz, 2001;Neef, Shade, & Miller, 1994;Weeks & Gaylord-Ross, 1981). For example, Cuvo, Lerch, Leurquin, Gaffaney, and Poppen (1998) found that when participants were asked to engage in a number of choices involving work requirements with equal schedules of reinforcement, they consistently chose the less effortful alternative.…”

Increasing on‐task behavior of an adolescent with autism using momentary differential reinforcement

“…The contingency included a permanent response product in order to decrease the likelihood that on‐task behavior would come under the control of the therapist entering the room (i.e., Aaron starting work when a therapist entered and stopping when the therapist left). In addition, including a contingent relation such as problem completion may increase the likelihood that the participants show preference for the procedures (Lannie & Martens, ).…”

“…Providing reinforcers during momentary supervision checks will likely result in a delay to reinforcement, which could weaken the contingency or reduce the value of the reinforcers (Lannie & Martens, ; Reed & Martens, ). Lannie and Martens arranged for four typically developing fourth grade students to complete math work sheets in a concurrent schedules preparation.…”