The Effects of Operant Conditioning of Study Behavior Among Academically Deficient College Sophomores
The Effects of Operant Conditioning of Study Behavior Among Academically Deficient College Sophomores
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Date
1970
Authors
Reed, M. Douglas
Advisor
Magoon, Thomas M.
Citation
DRUM DOI
Abstract
Operant conditioning procedures were utilized to assure the
successful surveying study behavior of four black academically deficient
college sophomores.
They were asked to watch and listen to a video-taped lecture
on surveying: the reading aloud, in order, of all bold-faced headings
and the first sentence under each heading throughout the assigned work
increments. Typical college textbook material was used for greater
relevance. The students were diagnosed by pre-experimental records and
observation, as academically deficient and void of survey study behavior.
The experiment was conducted in a room specially designed for video
taping and recording the subjects' behavior. Trained student experimenters
supervised the experiment from an adjacent room where the subjects'
performance was observed by TV monitor and heard by earphones.
The subjects sat at a desk which had on it a study light which
they could see and a large clock, the face of which they could not see.
On the clock face was a small light which was not visible to the subjects.
Together with the subjects, the study light, synchronized with the clock
and its light were videotaped from the room in which the experimenters
were stationed through an opening in the wall. Two of the subjects (one male and one female) were randomly
assigned to be reinforced and the other two were not reinforced.
Reinforcement consisted of the study light coming on (under the control
of the experimenters) when appropriate topic sentences were vocalized
properly. The light remained on until inappropriate topic sentences
were read (additions) or appropriate ones were skipped (omissions).
When either occurred the study light was turned off until appropriate
text material was read. Most of the time the light remained on,
since appropriate behavior most often was emitted. The clock light
was synchronized with the study light.
Non-reinforced subjects did not know when their behavior was
appropriate, since reinforcement (the study light) was withheld.
Whenever they emitted appropriate behavior, however, the clock light
was turned on for purposes of analysis.
The experimenters tallied the numbers of surveying or acquisition
omissions and additions by means of noting the time on the clock face
when the light was on or off. Surveying time was tallied also.
After surveying each of the 25 chapters comprised of 636
appropriate topic sentences, the subjects were given mimeographed tests.
These contained true statements incorporating all the topic sentences
in that increment as well as others incorporating distracters, or
inappropriate topic sentences. The tests measured the subjects' ability
to discern and mark the appropriate material.
Performances showed that as designed, the reinforced subjects
Were under stimulus control of the study light. Reinforcement of surveying behavior following a lecture on the subject was more effective
than a lecture without reinforcement. That is to say that the reinforced
subjects, as hypothesized, made significantly fewer surveying omissions
and performed better on the tests. There was little difference in
surveying additions since few were made under either condition. Contrary
to the hypotheses the time required for surveying was usually longer
for the reinforced subjects since they were under stimulus control of
the light.
Student experimenters were demonstrated as capable supervisors
of the experiment. Video-taping proved to be a highly reliable objective
means of maintaining continuous records.