THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT IMMEDIATE HISTORIES OF REINFORCEMENT ON SUBSEQUENT RESPONDING IN YOUNG CHILDREN

Abstract

Previous research has shown that providing continuous access to a stimulus decreases subsequent responding for that stimulus, and restricted access (i.e., no access) to a stimulus increases subsequent responding for that stimulus. An important implication of these findings is that certain immediate histories of reinforcement may affect whether certain stimuli may subsequently be used as reinforcers for effective teaching. Although previous research has shown that continuous and restricted access to reinforcers affect subsequent responding, little is known about the effect other immediate histories of reinforcement may have on subsequent responding to access those reinforcers. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to replicate and extend previous research by evaluating the effects of four different immediate histories of reinforcement on subsequent responding on a pre-academic task to access that reinforcer and other concurrently available stimuli.