Obesity Survey Article

De Luca and Holborn note the increasing relevance of obesity in children and that obesity can be approached behaviorally. Previous research indicates that obesity is centered on a lack of physical activity. De Luca and Holborn had previous experience with using behavior analysis principles and schedules to increase exercising for this population. A changing-criterion design has been used in previous studies to shape behavior and allows for the participant’s to start the performance based off of their performance in the baseline control condition. The article explored the use of variable-ratio schedule on exercise with boys were or normal and obese weights. The independent variable is the implementation of the different phases of a variable-ratio schedule in a changing-criterion of exercise. The dependent variables are the rate of responding during each session and the total time that exercising took place during each session. …show more content…
The apparatus was a stationary exercise bike that contained a program that recorded the responses and reinforcement based off of a variable-ratio schedule that was not set. A survey to gauge reinforcers was implemented and a baseline was conducted with no schedule of reinforcement to gauge starting places for each participant prior to the beginning of the implementation of the single-case changing-criterion phases with three variable-ratio phases and a return to baseline. Each subject was tested individually in the nurse’s office. Prior to the first session, the boys were allowed to view the reinforcers, each reinforcer had a tag attached described the amount of points needed to obtain that particular reinforcer as part of the token economy. Following the conclusion of the program, the boys and their families were asked to fill out a survey to demonstrate social