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The effects of external and self-administered reward on high base rate behavior

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Abstract

The effect of external and self-administered reward on high base rate behavior was examined. The investigation involved three periods: baseline, reinforcement, follow-up. Four experimental conditions were run: no-reward control (n =10), self-administered reward (n =10), external reward (n =9), and external control (n =10). During the first two sessions, fifth- and sixth-grade male and female children were placed alone in a free-play room with four toys. During Sessions 3 and 4, subjects were assigned to one of the four conditions. During Sessions 5 and 6, all subjects were again placed in a free-play situation. Using a repeated measure analysis of variance, evidence for an overjusticication effect for the external reward condition was found.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Division of Behavioral Medicine, St. Louis University Medical Center, 1221 South Grand Boulevard, 63104, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

    Ronald B. Margolis

  2. Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, 43403, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA

    Clifford R. Mynatt

Authors
  1. Ronald B. Margolis
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  2. Clifford R. Mynatt
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This paper is based on the first author's doctoral dissertation at Bowling Green State University. Many helpful comments and suggestions were made by the committee members, especially Kenneth Shemberg. David Dye, Tom Thalman, Sharon Kevesdy, and Pam Rader helped to run the study. The authors are most appreciative of this assistance.

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Margolis, R.B., Mynatt, C.R. The effects of external and self-administered reward on high base rate behavior. Cogn Ther Res 10, 109–122 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173387

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