幼児における自己強化の行動維持機能におよぼす外的強化の効果

石橋 由美

doi:10.4992/jjpsy.49.265

THE EFFECT OF EXTERNAL-REINFORCEMENT ON THE BEHAVIOR MAINTENANCE BY SELF-REINFORCEMENT IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

YUMI ISHIBASHI

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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1978 Volume 49 Issue 5 Pages 265-272

DOI https://doi.org/10.4992/jjpsy.49.265

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Published: January 20, 1979 Received: March 08, 1978 Available on J-STAGE: July 16, 2010 Accepted: - Advance online publication: - Revised: -
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Date of correction: July 16, 2010 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : The purpose of the present study is to examine the effect of external-reinforcement (ER) on the behavior maintenance by self-reinforcement (SR) in preschool children. Three phases of reinforcement, ER (Phase 1), SR (Phase 2) and NR, non-reinforcement (Phase 3) were applied.
In Exp. I, the effect of the ER on the task-behavior maintenance in the SR condition was examined. A simple sorting task was given to the subjects and the results were compared with children of different ages. The factorial design was of three ages (6, 7 and 8 year olds) by two ER conditions (high & low of the reinforcement rate) by two reinforcement conditions in Phase 2 (SR or NR). In highr-ate condition, the subjects were given the ER (token) at each end of the second, fourth and sixth trials: In low-rate condition the subjects were given the ER at the end of the third and sixth trials. Each age group was divided into two experimental and two control groups; ER with high-rate schedule in Phase 1, SR in Phase 2 and NR in Phase 3 (3E groups); ER with high-rate schedule in Phase 1, NR in Phases 2 and 3 (3C groups); ER with low-rate schedule in Phase 1, SR in Phase 2 and NR in Phase 3 (2E groups); ER with low-rate schedule in Phase 1 and NR in Phases 2 and 3 (2C groups).
The main results were as follows: First, the ER schedule gave no effect on the behavior maintenance of the children. The behavior maintenance in the high-rate condition (3E groups) was higher than that of the low-rate (2E groups) with the children who took the same reinforcer in the SR as that of the ER. Second, for all experimental groups, the task-behavior was maintained in Phase 2 but not in Phase 3. Third, for the six-year-olds, the behavior was maintained at a lower level than the eight-year-olds in both Phases of 2 and 3. Finally, the six-year-olds maintained their behavior by the SR in Phase 2, but it dropped into the same level as that of the control groups by the NR manipulation in Phase 3. It was suggested that the preschool children were controlled both externally and internally by the acquisition of the concrete objects (token).
In Exp. II, the effect of social-reinforcement on the task-behavior maintenance in the SR and the SR pattern of the subjcts were examined with six-year-old children who were given the ER (token) along with social-reinforcement, The subjects in the control group were given only tokens. The task assigned and the paradigm used in this experiment were the same as those in the Exp. I.
Conclusion: (1) The social-reinforcement enhanced the performances of the task-behavior through Phase 1 to Phase 3. The behavior of the subjects in the experimental group in Phase 3 was maintained at a higher level than the behavior of the subjects in the control group. (2) The social-reinforcement did not positively affect the number of children who took the ER schedule in the SR: It was suggested that the social-reinforcement enhanced the function of the SR in terms of its task-behavior maintenance.
Right : The effect of external-reinforcement (ER) on the task-behavior maintenance of children by self-reinforcement (SR) was examined. Three phases of paradigm, ER (Phase 1), SR (Phase 2) and NR, non-reinforcement (Phase 3) were applied. In Exp. I, children of ages 6, 7 and 8 year were divided into 4 groups. No effect was found with the ER condition (high or low of reinforcement rate). The behavior was maintained in Phase 2 but not in Phase 3. With 6-year-old children such behavior was maintained at a lower level than with 8-year-olds in Phases 2 and 3. These findings suggest that the behavior of 6-year-olds were controlled by both external and internal reinforcements. In Exp. II, it was found that the ER with social-reinforcement enhanced the maintenance of behavior of the 6-year-olds in Phase 3.

Abstract

The effect of external-reinforcement (ER) on the task-behavior maintenance of children by self-reinforcement (SR) was examined. Three phases of paradigm, ER (Phase 1), SR (Phase 2) and NR, non-reinforcement (Phase 3) were applied. In Exp. I, children of ages 6, 7 and 8 year were divided into 4 groups. No effect was found with the ER condition (high or low of reinforcement rate). The behavior was maintained in Phase 2 but not in Phase 3. With 6-year-old children such behavior was maintained at a lower level than with 8-year-olds in Phases 2 and 3. These findings suggest that the behavior of 6-year-olds were controlled by both external and internal reinforcements. In Exp. II, it was found that the ER with social-reinforcement enhanced the maintenance of behavior of the 6-year-olds in Phase 3.

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