| Summary: | Positive reinforcement contingencies are often used by teachers to improve the
academic performance of inattentive and poorly motivated children in the classroom. Previous
research suggests that the response dimension which is selected for reinforcement is a critical
determinant of the effect of a positive reinforcement contingency. The aim of this study was
to explore the effects of reinforcing increases in response rate compared to reinforcing
increases in accuracy rate in six inattentive and poorly motivated 7 to 10 year old children.
The experiment found that as a result of reinforcing improvements in the number of correct
responses per minute, there was an improvement not only in the percentage of correct
responses but also in the amount ofwork the child completed. However, the degree of
improvement depended on a number of factors such as the child's reinforcement history, the
nature of the contingency and the schedule ofreinforcement. These findings have significant
implications for the way in which teachers apply positive reinforcement contingencies in the
classroom in their attempt to respond to each child's academic needs.
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