MOTIVATING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN A CELLBLOCK TOKEN ECONOMY - AN ELABORATION OF THE PREMACK PRINCIPLE

• NCJ Number: 61852
• Journal: OFFENDER REHABILITATION Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: (SUMMER 1979) Pages: 349-361
• Author(s): M A MILAN; L F WOOD; J M MACKEE
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 21-01-73-38
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Labor
• Corporate Author: Haworth Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PRISON INMATES WERE MOTIVATED TO PARTICIPATE IN A REMEDIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM THROUGH THE INCENTIVE OF PARTICIPATION IN A TOKEN CELLBLOCK ECONOMY.

Abstract

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ENCOURAGE INMATES TO DEVOTE A MINIMUM OF 8 TO 10 OF THEIR NONWORK HOURS PER WEEK TO EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT AND TO PASS INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE TESTS REPRESENTING AT LEAST APPROXIMATELY 500 MINUTES OF STUDY. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PREMACK PRINCIPLE, CONTINUED FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE TOKEN ECONOMY WAS MADE CONTINGENT UPON ACHIEVEMENT IN THE REMEDIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM IN A CHAINING-LIKE PROCEDURE AND THE EFFECTS OF THIS ARRANGEMENT UPON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE WERE ANALYZED. THE 56 INMATES WHO PARTICIPATED WERE FROM THE DRAPER CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN ALABAMA. THEY RECEIVED SUPPLEMENTAL POINTS IN A TOKEN SYSTEM WHEN THEY PASSED SPECIFIC TESTS ON EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, ENABLING THEM TO INCREASE PRIVILEGES SUCH AS ACCESS TO THE TELEVISION, PURCHASE OF CONSUMABLE ITEMS, AND VISITS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE INSTITUTION. ALL STUDYING HAD TO BE DONE DURING NONWORKING HOURS. VIRTUALLY ALL RESIDENTS REGULARLY AVAILED THEMSELVES OF THE SPECIAL INCENTIVES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE TOKEN ECONOMY. THE ADDED INCENTIVES RESULTED IN A DRAMATIC INCREASE OF PARTICIPATION AND ACHIEVEMENT IN THE EDUCATION PROGRAM WHICH HAD BEEN COMPLETELY IGNORED PRIOR TO THE PROJECT. THE PHYSICAL SETTING, ORGANIZATION OF THE TOKEN SYSTEM, AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ARE FULLY DESCRIBED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MJM)