Most communally used in institutional settings, token economies are used as a form of behavior modification. A token economy is a method used to increase and reward desirable behavior. Token’s can be anything from a sticker or coins, to tallies, or poker chips; they just have to have the ability to be counted. Once the subject has earned enough tokens they are able to receive a reward Tokens can be withdrawn in order to decrease bad behavior.
The goal of a Token economy is to strengthen desirable behavior by rewarding participants which in turn instills, reinforces, and promotes the good behavior. Token economies involve the use of operant conditioning, (coined by B.F Skinner), is method that attempts to change behavior by using positive …show more content…
A study conducted in 2010 analyzed how participation within the classroom is effected by a token economy 318 undergraduate students were asked to participate in the study where researchers would analyze if a token economy would influence the students participation. Students would earn point not by responding to questions, but by asking questions. Student were given points for every question they asked, and were also rewarded bonus points for extremely insightful, and thought-provoking questions. After every class the students could turn in their points, to receive extra credit at the end of the semester. The students could earn one point per day, and up to 29 points for the semester. The 29 extra points would translate to a grade increase of up to 3.8%. Of the 318 student, 251 decided to participate. The results showed that on average each student received a bonus point every 3-4 classes (Nelson, 2010). To conclude, the study showed that rates of participation increased, particularly in Statistics and Applied Behavior Analysis classes, due to the token economy. It was found that classroom participation was high, and that students were less likely to get distracted during lectures which in turn helped inprove their overall grade in the
The goal of a Token economy is to strengthen desirable behavior by rewarding participants which in turn instills, reinforces, and promotes the good behavior. Token economies involve the use of operant conditioning, (coined by B.F Skinner), is method that attempts to change behavior by using positive …show more content…
A study conducted in 2010 analyzed how participation within the classroom is effected by a token economy 318 undergraduate students were asked to participate in the study where researchers would analyze if a token economy would influence the students participation. Students would earn point not by responding to questions, but by asking questions. Student were given points for every question they asked, and were also rewarded bonus points for extremely insightful, and thought-provoking questions. After every class the students could turn in their points, to receive extra credit at the end of the semester. The students could earn one point per day, and up to 29 points for the semester. The 29 extra points would translate to a grade increase of up to 3.8%. Of the 318 student, 251 decided to participate. The results showed that on average each student received a bonus point every 3-4 classes (Nelson, 2010). To conclude, the study showed that rates of participation increased, particularly in Statistics and Applied Behavior Analysis classes, due to the token economy. It was found that classroom participation was high, and that students were less likely to get distracted during lectures which in turn helped inprove their overall grade in the