SOCIAL REINFORCEMENT AND AFFILIATION

The Interpersonal Behavior of Children: II

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to elucidate wheher affiliation influences children's receptivity to socal reinforcement or not. We made two experiments in different conditions. Ss were 3 to 6 year-old children in each experiment.
Exp. I: The purpose is to study the affiliation effects when E reinforces children's task behaviorin a two person situation (E and S). Ss were divided randomly into 3 groups: positive (P), negative (N) and control (C). P and N groups were given instructions to draw pictures. In conditon P, E showed a positive interest in each S or his drawing, and spoke to him with familiarity. This Condition P is assumed to arise the affiliation to E in S. In condition N, E hardly spoke nor responded to S, without looking back S. In condition C, Ss had no prior contact with E. The next day the experimental task of setting marbles in correct positions was imposed on Ss. S was reinforced verbally when he responded correctly. Results showed that in the experimental task P group achieved significantly most of the three groups. And the amount of N group's achievement was the least. Further, P group showed most positive reactions to E.
Exp. II: The purpose is to study the affiliation effects in the case that E reinforces S's interpersonal behavior in a dyad situation. Ss were divided at random into 2 groups: P (positive) and C (control). Each was paired with his partner. Condition P is the same as in Exp. I. In Condition C, E responded neither in a positive nor negative manner and answered the questions if necessary. The experiment was made for three successive days. On the first and the third day the tasks were the same, and on the second day social reinforcemeets were given verbally whenever S shared his instruments with his partner. All tasks were characterized by being achieved by cooperative exchanges of S's instruments. The reinforcement effects were determined by measuring the difference of the frequency of responses between on the first day and on the third day. The results indicate that the reinforcing effect is greater in group P than in group C.
According to the results of these two experiments, it is concluded that E's positive behaviors influence children's receptivity of social reinforcement. Such influences occured when the object of the child's reinforcements was not only task achievement but also interpersonal behavior.