On the Relative Reinforcing Effects of Choice and Differential Consequences

Abstract

Research on the reinforcing effects of providing choice-making opportunities to individuals with developmental disabilities (i.e., allowing them to choose reinforcers or tasks) has produced inconsistent results, perhaps because the mechanisms underlying such effects remain unclear. Choice may produce a reinforcement effect because it is correlated with differential consequences (i.e., choice may increase one's access to higher preference stimuli), or it may have reinforcement value independent of (or in addition to) the chosen stimulus. In Experiment 1, we used a concurrent-operants arrangement to assess preference for a choice condition (in which participants selected one of two available reinforcers) relative to a no-choice condition (in which the therapist selected the same reinforcers on a yoked schedule). All 3 participants preferred the choice option. In Experiment 2, we altered the schedules so that the participant selected one of two lower preference reinforcers in the choice condition, whereas the therapist selected a higher preference stimulus for the participant either half or all of the time in the no-choice condition. Participants typically allowed the therapist to select reinforcers for them (i.e., they allocated responding to the no-choice condition) when it resulted in greater access to higher preference stimuli.

Effects of Reinforcement Choice on Task Responding in Individuals With Developmental Disabilities

“…In fact, other types of instructional arrangements may be more sensitive to the effects of choice on behavior. For example, in two studies in which a concurrent-operants arrangement was used to examine the effects of reinforcement choice, subjects consistently allocated more of their responses to the choice option than to the no-choice option (Brigham & Sherman, 1973;Fisher, Thompson, Piazza, Crosland, & Gotjen, 1997), suggesting that subjects preferred choices per se.…”

The Effects of Choice Between Nonpreferred Foods on the Food Consumption of Individuals with Food Selectivity

“…Providing choices to individuals with disabilities has been encouraged within interventions as a means to develop autonomy as well as being an important part of the normalization process (Fisher, Thompson, Piazza, Crosland, & Gotjen, 1997). A number of investigations have shown that allowing individuals to make choices between tasks or reinforcing consequences is an effective technique in both decreasing maladaptive behavior and increasing compliance to instructions (Powell & Nelson, 1997;Romaniuk et al, 2002).…”

“…In a study examining individuals' preference between choice and no-choice conditions, Fisher et al (1997) proposed that the decrease in problem behavior observed in a choice paradigm might be a function of increased access to preferred stimuli.…”

“…Previous research (Fisher et al, 1997) has indicated that individuals may prefer choosing even when consequences are identical and has identified that choosing may function as reinforcement for selecting, complying, or completing any instructions given. However, completely different results were obtained with Ava; in the initial phase, she responded equally between the choice and nochoice conditions suggesting that neither one was more preferred than the other.…”

Aparato experimental de escolha: desenvolvimento de sistema informatizado para estudo de comportamento de escolha

“…Por isso, o ensino do comportamento de escolher deve constituir-se objetivo fundamental nos programas educativos para pessoas com defi ciência intelectual severa ou profunda (Escobal & Goyos, 2008;Fisher, Thompson, Piazza, Crosland, & Gotjen, 1997).…”