An experimental analysis of Pica : FI schedule effects in three profoundly retarded men

• Main Author: Frazer, James E.
• Other Authors: Dean, Raymond S.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Pica (Pathology); People with mental disabilities > Diseases.; Reinforcement (Psychology); Behavior modification.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/176249; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/558339

Three institutionalized profoundly retarded men were exposed to edible reinforcement schedules to determine if (a) pica could be controlled using reinforcement schedules alone, (b) if there was a functional relation between schedules of reinforcement and pica, and (c) if pica could be considered to be an adjunctive or schedule-induced behavior. Using an ABC counterbalanced design to control for order effects, the three subjects were exposed during baseline to naturally occurring reinforcement schedules; during the experimental conditions, to FI 1-min and FI 5-min edible reinforcement schedules. Results indicated that (a) the FI 1-min schedule substantially reduced the rate of pica in two men while its use resulted only in a statistically significant decreasing trend in pica in the third man, (b) that the FI 5-min schedule was no better in decreasing rates of pica than reinforcement during baseline, and (c) that there were increases and decreases in pica when exposed to certain reinforcement schedules which were consistent with the research on adjunctive behavior. It was concluded that (a) edible reinforcement schedules by themselves could lower pica rates, (b) that functional relations existed between rates of pica and reinforcement schedules, and (c) that pica may possibly constitute adjunctive behavior. The implications of these data were discussed in terms of practical applications and theoretical considerations concerning the control of pica and its relation to various reinforcement schedules. === Department of Educational Psychology