Social reinforcer effectiveness under isolation and task reversal conditions in elementary school children

Grimes, Russell Waldron (1971) Social reinforcer effectiveness under isolation and task reversal conditions in elementary school children. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The present study investigated the relationship between social isolation, task reversal and age in a two-choice probability learning situation. An equal number of high and low anxious girls from grades 2, 4 and 6 underwent 0 and 15 minutes of social isolation. Following isolation Ss were given a two-choice probability learning task in which they received social reinforcement for correct responses. When Ss reached a probability matching level of responding the reinforcement contingencies were reversed. Significant effects were found for isolation, age, reversal and the isolation x age interaction. The results are discussed in terms of Spence's theoretical formulations on the relationship between drive level and association strength of the correct response.

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