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J Appl Behav Anal. 1969 Summer; 2(2): 119–124.
doi: 10.1901/jaba.1969.2-119.
PMCID: PMC1311049
Good behavior game: effects of individual contingencies for group consequences on disruptive behavior in a classroom1
Harriet H. Barrish, Muriel Saunders, and Montrose M. Wolf
University of Kansas
1This study is based upon a thesis submitted by the senior author to the Department of Human Development in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree. The research was supported by a Public Health Service Fellowship IFI MH-36, 964-01 from the National Institute of Mental Health and by a grant (HD 03144) from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to the Bureau of Child Research and the Department of Human Development, University of Kansas. The authors wish to thank Drs. Donald M. Baer and Don Bushell, Jr., for helpful suggestions in preparation of the manuscript; Mr. Rex Shanks, Mr. Frank A. Branagan, and Mrs. Betty Roberts for their invaluable help in conducting the study; and Mrs. Susan Zook, Mrs. Sue Chen, and Mr. Jay Barrish for their contributions of time for reliability checks. Reprints may be obtained from the authors, Department of Human Development, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044.
Abstract
Out-of-seat and talking-out behaviors were studied in a regular fourth-grade class that included several “problem children”. After baseline rates of the inappropriate behaviors were obtained, the class was divided into two teams “to play a game”. Each out-of-seat and talking-out response by an individual child resulted in a mark being placed on the chalkboard, which meant a possible loss of privileges by all members of the student's team. In this manner a contingency was arranged for the inappropriate behavior of each child while the consequence (possible loss of privileges) of the child's behavior was shared by all members of this team as a group. The privileges were events which are available in almost every classroom, such as extra recess, first to line up for lunch, time for special projects, stars and name tags, as well as winning the game. The individual contingencies for the group consequences were successfully applied first during math period and then during reading period. The experimental analysis involved elements of both reversal and multiple baseline designs.
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Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
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