Positive reinforcement and success in spelling : an experimental study
Date
1970
Authors
Thomson, Eric Walter
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Abstract
This study investigated the effectiveness of material (candy and trinkets) and social (verbal and written) reinforcement in increasing the Spelling performance of 144 elementary school pupils in grades 5, 6, and 7. Four treatment periods were used. As well u being grouped according to grade placement, the pupils were also divided into three groups according to their performance in the first (base-line) period, during which no reinforcement was given.
During the second period of the study, material and social reinforcement was given on a continuous schedule, contingent upon the pupils' having performed as well as or better than they had performed on the previous weeks' Spelling test. During the third period of the study, material reinforcement was given on an intermittent schedule but social reinforcement was maintained on a continuous schedule. The fourth period of the study used only social reinforcement on a continuous schedule. Each of the four periods of the study was six weeks in length.
Results indicated that such a program of reinforcement as used in this study can be effective in increasing performance in Spelling. Although there were differences in the way in which the increases occurred for each of the grades, the over-all effect for grades 5, 6, and 7 seemed not to be different. Pupils who were initially better spellers tended to gain leas from this program of reinforcement than did initially lower performers.