DECREASING CLASSROOM MISBEHAVIOR THROUGH THE USE OF DRL SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT 1

In three studies, reinforcing low rates of responding reduced inappropriate behaviors. In the first study, the talking‐out behavior of one TMR student was reduced when the teacher allowed 5 min of free time for a talk‐out rate less than 0.06 per minute. In a second study, the talking‐out behavior of an entire TMR class was reduced when reinforcement was delivered for a response rate less than 0.10 per minute. In a third study, successively decreasing DRL limits were used to reduce off‐task verbalizations of an entire high school business class. In each case, the DRL procedure proved manageable for the teacher and successful in reducing misbehavior.