The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the effect of music and approval as reinforcers for following a command, (b) the effect of a food-pairing procedure on an approval alone condition, an approval plus music condition, and an ignore condition, (c) the durability of newly conditioned reinforcers, and (d) the strength of the new reinforcers as contingencies for following a second command. Results indicated that the approval and music, which initially had not functioned as reinforcers, were conditioned as reinforcers by pairing with food. Maintenance over a 10-week period of time demonstrated that the newly conditioned reinforcers continued to reinforce the original behavior. In addition, the approval and music generalized as reinforcers for a new behavior.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
GreerR. D., DorowL., & WolpertR.Generalization of paired associate learning as a function of conditioned reinforcement value. Paper presented at the meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Dearborn Mich., 1979.
2.
GreerR. D., HanserS. B., WilsonL., & BotvinG.Conditioning music as reinforcement: A series of experiments dealing with theoretical issues, applied issues, and design.
3.
BarrettB. H.Reduction in rate of multiple tics by free operant conditioning methods. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 1962, 135, 187–195.
4.
BetancourtF. W., & ZeilerM. D.The choices and preferences of nursery school children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1971, 4(4), 299–304.
5.
CookM., & FreethyM.The use of music as a positive reinforcer to eliminate complaining behavior. Journal of Music Therapy, 1973, 10, 213–216.
6.
CotterV. W.Effects of music on mentally retarded girls’ performance of manual tasks. Unpublished dissertation, University of Kansas, 1969.
7.
DorowL. G.Conditioning music and approval as new reinforcers for imitative behavior with the severely retarded. Journal of Music Therapy, 1975, 12(1), 30–39.
8.
DorowL. G.The effect of teacher approval/ disapproval ratios on student music selection behavior and concert attentiveness. Journal of Research in Music Education, 1977, 25(1), 32–40.
9.
ForsytheJ.The effect of teacher approval, disapproval and errors on student attentiveness: Music versus classroom teachers. In MadsenC. K., GreerR. D., & MadsenC. H.Jr. (Eds.), Research in music behavior: Modifying music behavior in the classroom. New York: Teachers College Press, 1975.
GreerR. D., DorowL. G., WachhausG., & WhiteE. R.Adult Approval and students’ music selection behavior. Journal of Research in Music Education, 1973, 21, 345–354.
12.
HallR. V.Managing behavior, behavior modification: Basic principles. Kansas City, Kansas: H & H Enterprises, 1971.
13.
HersenM., & BarlowD. H.Single case experimental designs: Strategies for studying behavior change. New York: Pergamon Press, 1976.
14.
JellisonJ. A.Music instructional programs for the severely handicapped. In SontagE. (Ed.), Educational Programming for the Severely and Profoundly Handicapped. Reston, Va.: Division on Mental Retardation, The Council for Exceptional Children, 1977.
15.
JorgensonH.The use of a contingent music activity to modify behaviors which interfere with learning. Journal of Music Therapy, 1974, 11(1), 41–46.
16.
KuhnT. L.The effect of teacher approval and disapproval on attentiveness, musical achievement, and attitude of fifth-grade students. In MadsenC. K., GreerR. D., & MadsenC. H.Jr. (Eds.), Research in music behavior: Modifying music behavior in the classroom. New York: Teachers College Press, 1975.
17.
LovaasO. I., FreitagG., KinderM. I., RubensteinB. D., SchaefferB., & SimmonsJ. Q.Establishment of social reinforcers in two schizophrenic children on the basis of food. Journal of Experimental Child Physchology, 1966, 4, 109–125.
18.
MadsenC. H., BeckerW. C., & ThomasD. R.Rules, praise, and ignoring: Elements of elementary classroom control. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1968, 1(2), 139–150.
19.
MadsenC. K., & ForsytheJ.The effect of contingent music listening on increases of mathematical responses. Journal of Research in Music Education, 1973, 21, 176–181.
20.
MillerD. M.Effects of music listening contingencies on arithmetic performance and music preference of EMR children. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1977, 81, 371–378.
21.
MillerD. M., DorowL., & GreerR. D.The contingent use of music and art for improving arithmetic scores. Journal of Music Therapy, 1974, 11(2), 57–64.
22.
SteeleA. L.Effects of social reinforcement on the musical preferences of mentally retarded children. Journal of Music Therapy, 1967, 4, 57–62.
23.
WhiteO. R.A glossary of behavioral terminology. Champaign, Ill.: Research Press, 1971.
