Delayed “Good” and “Mmm-Hmm” Reinforcers in Verbal Conditioning and Awareness

Abstract

The present experiment investigated the effects of immediate and delayed reinforcement using “Good” and “Mmm-hmm” as reinforcers. Six groups of 10 Ss received different combinations of kind and delay of reinforcement. The apparatus used was a metronome and the Taffel procedure was followed. Ss who were reinforced by “Good” immediately after the pronoun's use were the only group who showed conditioning. Thus, both delay and kind of reinforcement produced differential effects on conditioning. Awareness, as measured by an open-ended question, produced a significant difference in the groups reinforced by “Mmm-hmm.” These groups, which showed no conditioning, were not aware.