NCJ Number
48673
Journal
Behaviour Research and Therapy Volume: 14 Issue: 5 Dated: (1976) Pages: 323-331
Date Published
1976
Length
9 pages
Annotation
TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF TWO REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, ENGLISH AND MATH PERFORMANCE OF TWO INMATES ENROLLED IN AN EDUCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM WAS ASSESSED FOR STANDARD AND ENRICHED SCHEDULES.
Abstract
THE SUBJECTS WERE TWO BLACK INMATES INCARCERATED FOR VIOLENT CRIMES. ONE WAS FUNCTIONING AT 6.1 GRADE LEVEL, HAD AN IQ (INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT) OF 65, AND WAS SOMEWHAT WITHDRAWN; THE OTHER WAS FUNCTIONING AT A 7.7 GRADE LEVEL, HAD AN IQ OF 91, AND WAS HOSTILE AND AGGRESSIVE. UNDER THE STANDARD REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE, POINTS COULD BE EARNED FOR COMPLETING MATH AND ENGLISH SKILL LEVELS (120 POINTS EACH) AND FOR PASSING UNIT TESTS (20 POINTS EACH). UNDER THE ENRICHED SCHEDULE, INCENTIVE POINTS WERE COMPUTED BOTH IN TERMS OF SKILL LEVELS COMPLETED AND UNIT TESTS PASSED AND NUMBER OF DAYS FOR PASSING OR COMPLETION. FOR INSTANCE, UNDER THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE ENRICHMENT SCHEDULE IN WHICH 6 UNIT TESTS AND 1 SKILL LEVEL ARE COMPLETED, A TOTAL OF 5,400 POINTS COULD BE EARNED; WHILE UNDER THE STANDARD SYSTEM, THE SAME WORK WOULD EARN ONLY 330 POINTS. POINTS COULD BE CHANGED FOR A VARIETY ITEMS (FOOD, CIGARETTES, ETC.) OR PRIVILEGES (EXTRA PHONE CALLS, LETTERS OR VISITING PRIVILEGES). STANDARD REINFORCEMENT CONDITIONS WERE IN EFFECT FOR A 3-MONTH PERIOD, ENRICHED REINFORCEMENT FOR 20 DAYS. PERFORMANCE OF BOTH INMATES INCREASED DRAMATICALLY UNDER ENRICHED CONDITIONS. THE FIRST INMATE'S MATH TEST COMPLETION RATE ROSE FROM 11 TESTS IN 20 DAYS TO 42 TESTS IN 22 DAYS; WHILE HIS ENGLISH TEST COMPLETION RATE ROSE FROM 5 TESTS IN 20 DAYS TO 30 TESTS COMPLETED IN 14 DAYS. UNDER STANDARD CONDITIONS HE PASSED THROUGH 9TH AND 10TH GRADE ALGEBRA, WHILE UNDER ENRICHED CONDITIONS HE PASSED THROUGH 10TH, 11TH, AND 12TH GRADE ALGEBRA AND GEOMETRY AND BEGAN TRIGONOMETRY. GAINS IN COMPLETION OF SKILL UNITS WERE EVEN MORE DRAMATIC. UNDER THE ENRICHED SCHEDULE, TEST COMPLETION RATE FOR THE SECOND INMATE ROSE FROM 5 TESTS IN 20 DAYS TO 30 TESTS IN 14 DAYS IN MATH; AND WHILE COMPLETING ONLY 8TH GRADE MATH ON STANDARD SCHEDULE, HE COMPLETED 9TH THROUGH 12TH GRADES ON THE ENRICHED SCHEDULE. THE SECOND INMATE ALSO SHOWED GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN ENGLISH PERFORMANCE, GOING FROM A COMPLETION RATE OF 8 TESTS IN 20 DAYS TO ONE OF 9 TESTS IN 8 DAYS. COMPARISON OF PREEXPERIMENTAL AND POSTEXPERIMENTAL SCORES ON A STANDARDIZED ACHIEVEMENT TEST CONFIRMED THESE GAINS. RESULTS DEMONSTRATE THAT ENRICHED REINFORCEMENT CAN RESULT IN INCREASED MOTIVATION AND IMPROVEMENT IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ADULT INMATES, INCLUDING THOSE OF BELOW AVERAGE IQ. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)