Abstract
Treatments for individuals with developmental disabilities regularly include assessments of individual choice and preference. These procedures assist in the development, design, and maintenance of effective, evidence-based practices. Despite widespread use, these assessments may or may not accurately identify reinforcers that will be effective in treatments. Procedures and analyses from the area of behavioral economics have been proposed to address this potential source of error, although these procedures are observed relatively infrequently in the current literature. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the elements of behavioral economics that have and have not been incorporated into assessments or treatments for individuals with disabilities. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology was utilized (Prospero: #CRD42017069859) to systematically search the literature and the Scopus, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink databases were included. Studies were included if their procedures used behavioral economics and if those procedures were used with individuals with developmental disabilities. Twenty-two studies were identified and the results of this review indicated that only a limited range of behavioral economic procedures have been translated into assessments and treatments for individuals with developmental disabilities. This review discusses the degrees to which these procedures have been extended to this population and outlines additional research and replication to further aide in the translation of these procedures into applied practice.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
We make two notes with respect to the term behavioral economics. The first is that the present review focuses on the behavioral economics that is an outgrowth of the operant behavior framework, rather than the behavioral economics that has been recently popularized as an outgrowth of mainstream psychology (Ariely 2008; Camerer 1999; Kahneman et al. 1982; Thaler and Sunstein 2008). Second, we note that operant behavioral economics also subsumes frameworks of delay discounting and matching law, but here we focus on the aspects of behavioral economic demand.
Important to note is that these work output curves do not depict rate of responding as is typically seen in traditional behavior-analytic studies, as responses are not standardized over a fixed amount of time (e.g., per min). Rather, one can interpret the work output curve as the rate of responding over the entire session(s) associated with each individual price point.
References
Allison, J. W. (1983). Behavioral economics. Praeger.
Ariely, D. (2008). Predictably irrational. Harper Collins.
Audrain-McGovern, J., Rodriguez, D., Tercyak, K. P., Cuevas, J., Rodgers, K., & Patterson, F. (2004). Identifying and characterizing adolescent smoking trajectories. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 13(12), 2023–2034.
Bannerman, D. J., Sheldon, J. B., Sherman, J. A., & Harchik, A. E. (1990). Balancing the right to habilitation with the right to personal liberties: the rights of people with developmental disabilities to eat too many doughnuts and take a nap. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 23(1), 79–89. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1990.23-79.
Baum, W. M. (1974). On two types of deviation from the matching law: bias and undermatching. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 22(1), 231–242. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1974.22-231.
Bickel, W. K., DeGrandpre, R. J., & Higgins, S. T. (1993). Behavioral economics: a novel experimental approach to the study of drug dependence. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 33(2), 173–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/0376-8716(93)90059-Y.
Camerer, C. (1999). Behavioral economics: reunifying psychology and economics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 96(19), 10575–10577. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.96.19.10575.
Cannella, H., Oareilly, M., & Lancioni, G. (2005). Choice and preference assessment research with people with severe to profound developmental disabilities: a review of the literature. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 26(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2004.01.006.
de Villiers, P. A., & Herrnstein, R. J. (1976). Toward a law of response strength. Psychological Bulletin, 83(6), 1131–1153. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.83.6.1131.
DeLeon, I. G., Fisher, W., Herman, K. M., & Crosland, K. C. (2000). Assessment of a response bias for aggression over functionally equivalent appropriate behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 33(1), 73–77. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2000.33-73.
DeLeon, I. G., Gregory, M. K., Frank-Crawford, M. A., Allman, M. J., Wilke, A. E., Carreau-Webster, A. B., & Triggs, M. M. (2011). Examination of the influence of contingency on changes in reinforcer value. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44(3), 543–558. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2011.44-543.
DeLeon, I. G., & Iwata, B. A. (1996). Evaluation of a multiple-stimulus presentation format for assessing reinforcer preferences. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29(4), 519–533. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1996.29-519.
DeLeon, I. G., Iwata, B. A., Goh, H. L., & Worsdell, A. S. (1997). Emergence of reinforcer preference as a function of schedule requirements and stimulus similarity. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30(3), 439–449. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1997.30-439.
Epstein, L. H., Smith, J. A., Vara, L. S., & Rodefer, J. S. (1991). Behavioral economic analysis of activity choice in obese children. Health Psychology: Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 10(5), 311–316. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.10.5.311.
Findley, J. D. (1958). Preference and switching under concurrent scheduling. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1(2), 123–144. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1958.1-123.
Fisher, W., Piazza, C. C., Bowman, L. G., Hagopian, L. P., Owens, J. C., & Slevin, I. (1992). A comparison of two approaches for identifying reinforcers for persons with severe and profound disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25(2), 491–498. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1992.25-491.
Foster, T. A., & Hackenberg, T. D. (2004). Unit price and choice in a token-reinforcement context. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 81(1), 5–25. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.2004.81-5.
Foxall, G., Olivera-Castro, J., Schrezenmaier, T., & James, V. (2007). The behavioral economics of brand choice. Springer.
Fuqua, R. W. (1984). Comments on the applied relevance of the matching law. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 17(3), 381–386. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1984.17-381.
Graff, R. B., & Karsten, A. M. (2012). Assessing preferences of individuals with developmental disabilities: a survey of current practices. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 5(2), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391822.
Green, C. W., Reid, D. H., Canipe, V. S., & Gardner, S. M. (1991). A comprehensive evaluation of reinforcer identification processes for persons with profound multiple handicaps. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24(3), 537–552. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1991.24-537.
Green, L., & Freed, D. E. (1993). The substitutability of reinforcers. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 60(1), 141–158. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1993.60-141.
Greenwald, M. K., & Hursh, S. R. (2006). Behavioral economic analysis of opioid consumption in heroin-dependent individuals: effects of unit price and pre-session drug supply. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 85(1), 35–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2006.03.007.
Hall, G. A., & Lattal, K. A. (1990). Variable-interval schedule performance in open and closed economies. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 54(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1990.54-13.
Herrnstein, R. J. (1961). Relative and absolute strength of response as a function of frequency of reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 4(3), 267–272. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1961.4-267.
Hodos, W. (1961). Progressive ratio as a measure of reward strength. Science (New York, N.Y.), 134(3483), 943–944. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.134.3483.943.
Hursh, S. R. (1980). Economic concepts for the analysis of behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 34(2), 219–238. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1980.34-219.
Hursh, S. R. (1984). Behavioral economics. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 42(3), 435–452. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1984.42-435.
Hursh, S. R., Raslear, T. G., Shurtleff, D., Bauman, R., & Simmons, L. (1988). A cost-benefit analysis of demand for food. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 50(3), 419–440. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1988.50-419.
Imam, A. A. (1993). Response-reinforcer independence and the economic continuum. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 59, 231–243. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1993.59-231.
Johnson, M. W., & Bickel, W. K. (2006). Replacing relative reinforcing efficacy with behavioral economic demand curves. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 85(1), 73–93. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.2006.102-04.
Johnson, M. W., Bickel, W. K., & Kirshenbaum, A. P. (2004). Substitutes for tobacco smoking: a behavioral economic analysis of nicotine gum, denicotinized cigarettes, and nicotine-containing cigarettes. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 74(3), 253–264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2003.12.012.
Kagel, J. H., Battalio, R. C., & Green, L. (1995). Economic choice theory: an experimental analysis of animal behavior. Cambridge University Press.
Kagel, J. H., Battalio, R. C., Rachlin, H., & Green, L. (1981). Demand curves for animal consumers. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 96(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.2307/2936137.
Kahneman, D., Slovic, P., & Tversky, A. (1982). Judgment under uncertainty: heuristics and biases. Cambridge University Press.
Kodak, T., Lerman, D. C., & Call, N. (2007). Evaluating the influence of post-session reinforcement on choice of reinforcers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40(3), 515–527. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2007.40-515.
LaFiette, M. H., & Fantino, E. (1989). Responding on concurrent-chains schedules in open and closed economies. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 51(3), 329–342. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1989.51-329.
Madden, G. J., Bickel, W. K., & Jacobs, E. A. (2000). Three predictions of the economic concept of unit price in a choice context. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 73(1), 45–64. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.2000.73-45.
Madden, G. J., Smethells, J., Ewan, E. E., & Hursh, S. R. (2007a). Tests of behavioral economic assessments of relative reinforcer efficacy: economic substitutes. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 87, 219–240. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.2007.80-06.
Madden, G. J., Smethells, J., Ewan, E. E., & Hursh, S. R. (2007b). Tests of behavioral economic assessments of relative reinforcer efficacy II: economic complements. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 88, 355–367. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.2007.88-355.
McDowell, J. J. (2013). On the theoretical and empirical status of the matching law and matching theory. Psychological Bulletin, 139(5), 1000–1028. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029924.
Pace, G. M., Ivancic, M. T., Edwards, G. L., Iwata, B. A., & Page, T. J. (1985). Assessment of stimulus preference and reinforcer value with profoundly retarded individuals. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18(3), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1985.18-249.
Rachlin, H., Battalio, R., Kagel, J., & Green, L. (1981). Maximization theory in behavioral psychology. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 4(3), 371–388. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X00009407.
Rachlin, H., Green, L., Kagel, J. H., & Battalio, R. C. (1976). Economic demand theory and psychological studies of choice. Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 10, 129–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-7421(08)60466-1.
Reed, D. D., & Kaplan, B. A. (2011). The matching law: a tutorial for practitioners. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 4(2), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391780.
Reed, D. D., Kaplan, B. A., & Becirevic, A. (2015). Basic research on the behavioral economics of reinforcer value. In F. D. D. Reed & D. D. Reed (Eds.), Autism service delivery (pp. 279–306). New York: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2656-5_10.
Reed, D. D., Niileksela, C. R., & Kaplan, B. A. (2013). Behavioral economics. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 6(1), 34–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391790.
Roane, H. S., Call, N. A., & Falcomata, T. (2005). A preliminary analysis of adaptive responding under open and closed economies. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38(3), 335–348. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2005.85-04.
Roane, H. S., Falcomata, T. S., & Fisher, W. W. (2007). Applying the behavioral economics principle of unit price to DRO schedule thinning. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40(3), 529–534. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2007.40-529.
Roane, H. S., Lerman, D. C., & Vorndran, C. M. (2001). Assessing reinforcers under progressive schedule requirements. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34(2), 145–166. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2001.34-145.
Romero, S., Foxall, G., Schrezenmaier, T., Oliveira-Castro, J., & James, V. (2006). Deviations from matching in consumer choice. European Journal of Behavior Analysis, 7(1), 15–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/15021149.2006.11434261.
Roscoe, E. M., Iwata, B. A., & Kahng, S. (1999). Relative versus absolute reinforcement effects: implications for preference assessments. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 32(4), 479–493. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1999.32-479.
Samuelson, P. A. (1947). Foundations of economic analysis. Harvard University Press.
Shahan, T. A., Bickel, W. K., Madden, G. J., & Badger, G. J. (1999). Comparing the reinforcing efficacy of nicotine containing and de-nicotinized cigarettes: a behavioral economic analysis. Psychopharmacology, 147(2), 210–216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130051162.
Smith, C. L., & Hantula, D. A. (2003). Pricing effects on foraging in a simulated internet shopping mall. Journal of Economic Psychology, 24(5), 653–674. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-4870(03)00007-2.
Stokes, T. F., & Baer, D. M. (1977). An implicit technology of generalization. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10(2), 349–367. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1977.10-349.
Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. Yale University Press.
Timberlake, W., & Peden, B. F. (1987). On the distinction between open and closed economies. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 48(1), 35–60. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1987.48-35.
Tustin, R. D. (1994). Preference for reinforcers under varying schedule arrangements: a behavioral economic analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27(4), 597–606. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1994.27-597.
Zeiler, M. D. (1999). Reversed schedule effects in closed and open economies. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 71(2), 171–186. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1999.71-171.
Review References
Borrero, J. C., Francisco, M. T., Haberlin, A. T., Ross, N. A., & Sran, S. K. (2007). A unit price evaluation of severe problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40(3), 463–474. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2007.40-463.
Call, N. A., Trosclair-Lasserre, N. M., Findley, A. J., Reavis, A. R., & Shillingsburg, M. A. (2012). Correspondence between single versus daily preference assessment outcomes and reinforcer efficacy under progressive-ratio schedules. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 45(4), 763–777. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2012.45-763.
DeLeon, I. G., Frank, M. A., Gregory, M. K., & Allman, M. J. (2009). On the correspondence between preference assessment outcomes and progressive-ratio schedule assessments of stimulus value. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42(3), 729–733. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2009.42-729.
Fiske, K. E., Cohen, A. P., Bamond, M. J., Delmolino, L., LaRue, R. H., & Sloman, K. N. (2014). The effects of magnitude-based differential reinforcement on the skill acquisition of children with autism. Journal of Behavioral Education, 23(4), 470–487. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-014-9211-y.
Francisco, M. T., Borrero, J. C., & Sy, J. R. (2008). Evaluation of absolute and relative reinforcer value using progressive-ratio schedules. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41(2), 189–202. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2008.41-189.
Glover, A. C., Roane, H. S., Kadey, H. J., & Grow, L. L. (2008). Preference for reinforcers under progressive- and fixed-ratio schedules: a comparison of single and concurrent arrangements. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41(2), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2008.41-163.
Jerome, J., & Sturmey, P. (2008). Reinforcing efficacy of interactions with preferred and nonpreferred staff under progressive-ratio schedules. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41(2), 221–225. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2008.41-221.
Jerome, J., & Sturmey, P. (2014). The effects of pairing non-preferred staff with preferred stimuli on increasing the reinforcing value of non-preferred staff attention. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35(4), 849–860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2014.01.014.
Kerwin, M. E., Ahearn, W. H., Eicher, P. S., & Burd, D. M. (1995). The costs of eating: a behavioral economic analysis of food refusal. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28(3), 245–260. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1995.28-245.
Penrod, B., Wallace, M. D., & Dyer, E. J. (2008). Assessing potency of high- and low-preference reinforcers with respect to response rate and response patterns. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41(2), 177–188. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2008.41-177.
Peterson, C., Lerman, D. C., & Nissen, M. A. (2016). Reinforcer choice as an antecedent versus consequence. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 49(2), 286–293. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.284.
Reed, D. D., Luiselli, J. K., Magnuson, J. D., Fillers, S., Vieira, S., & Rue, H. C. (2009). A comparison between traditional economical and demand curve analyses of relative reinforcer efficacy in the validation of preference assessment predictions. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 12(3), 164–169. https://doi.org/10.1080/17518420902858983.
Tiger, J. H., Toussaint, K. A., & Roath, C. T. (2010). An evaluation of the value of choice-making opportunities in single-operant arrangements: simple fixed- and progressive-ratio schedules. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43(3), 519–524. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2010.43-519.
Trosclair-Lasserre, N. M., Lerman, D. C., Call, N. A., Addison, L. R., & Kodak, T. (2008). Reinforcement magnitude: an evaluation of preference and reinforcer efficacy. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41(2), 203–220. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2008.41-203.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gilroy, S.P., Kaplan, B.A. & Leader, G. A Systematic Review of Applied Behavioral Economics in Assessments and Treatments for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 5, 247–259 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-018-0136-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-018-0136-6