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GROUP VERSUS INDIVIDUAL REINFORCEMENT CONTINGENCIES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF GROUP STUDY CONDITIONS
Author(s) -
Lloyd John Wills,
Eberhardt Matthew J.,
Drake George P.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of applied behavior analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1938-3703
pISSN - 0021-8855
DOI - 10.1901/jaba.1996.29-189
Subject(s) - psychology , reinforcement , context (archaeology) , group (periodic table) , vocabulary , class (philosophy) , developmental psychology , social psychology , paleontology , linguistics , chemistry , philosophy , organic chemistry , artificial intelligence , computer science , biology
We investigated the effects of two teaching variables on students' Spanish vocabulary quiz performance: (a) group study and (b) individual versus group contingencies. In Experiment 1, we compared students' quiz scores under conditions in which students either studied independently and received no programmed reinforcement or studied in groups and received individual rewards for high scores. The results showed that, on average, the group‐study individual‐reward condition produced superior quiz scores. In Experiment 2, we compared individual (i.e., the superior condition in Experiment 1) and group contingencies within the context of the group study condition. On average across the class, group contingencies produced performance superior to individual contingencies. In both studies, however, benefits for the classes as a whole were mitigated by effects on individual students. These results extend the literature on the effects of group‐based instructional activities and reinforcement contingencies. Educators who choose such procedures may encounter conflicting findings depending on whether they examine results at the group or individual level.