Effects of Contingent and Noncontingent Token Reinforcement upon Classroom Performance

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Abstract
5 boys attending a therapeutic summer camp were exposed to 1 ½ hr. of programmed instruction in mathematics per day for 28 days. Following an 8-day baseline period during which no tokens were given, the awarding of tokens was made contingent upon classroom productivity. After 10 days of contingent reinforcement, Ss received noncontingent tokens for 3 days after which for 7 days tokens were again contingent upon classroom performance. The token-incentive program was effective in controlling classroom productivity. A standard achievement test indicated concurrent academic gains in arithmetic but no gains (actually, a loss) in a subject (language) in which no instruction was received.