EFFECTS OF CHOICE AND IMMEDIACY OF REINFORCEMENT ON SINGLE RESPONSE AND SWITCHING BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN1

Abstract

Children responded on a single operandum to produce marbles or candy within a two-component multiple schedule and then were allowed to choose which component was in effect. Experiment I examined the effects of exchanging marbles after sessions for subject-selected or experimenter-selected candy. Rate of response to the single operandum was not affected. However, when the subjects could switch components, they spent the majority of time and responded at somewhat higher rates in a component where marbles were exchangable for subject-selected candy. Experiment II examined the effects of eliminating the immediate marble consequence for responses. Rate of response to the single operandum was not affected. However, when subjects could switch components they spent more time in a component where immediate marble consequences were available for responses, than where no immediate marble consequences were available.