Token economy

Token economy

What is a token economy?

Form of behaviour therapy which uses operant conditioning to enforce desirable behaviour

Token economy

What does token economy use?

Positive reinforcers:

• Primary - anything which provides pleasure (eg: food, removing unpleasant states like boredom) that DOESN’T rely on learning to have reinforcing value

• Secondary - neutral stimulus which is paired with primary reinforcers → in TE, tokens given when patient engages in target behaviour (eg: brushing teeth, cleaning room - can be hard for S patients)

Token economy

How does a token economy work?

• reinforcer needs to be delivered immediately after target behaviour performed

• tokens add up, and can be exchanged for pleasure eg: 5 tokens = chocolate

Token economy

Why have token economies?

Patient engages more often w/ desirable behaviours if they become associated w/ rewards/privileges

Token economy

Evaluation: support

Supporting evidence: when Ayllon + Azrin (1968) used TE (eg: plastic tokens given for eg: making bed, and exchanged for eg: watching movie) in a female ward (many had been hospitalised for years) found TE dramatically increased number of desirable behaviour patients performed each day - suggests TE can effectively increase adaptive behaviour in schizophrenics

Token economy

Evaluation: support counter

BUT - Ayllon + Azrin (1968) had beta bias → used only females, so hard to generalise findings to males → limits application bcs can't assume males would react similarly BUT Dickerson et al (2005)'s meta-analysis of 13 studies found TE = generally effective → suggest some supporting studies need development, but generally show TE improves adaptive behaviours

Token economy

Evaluation: Alternative

ALT = antipsychotics → effective in treating (reportedly) +/- symptoms, as well as cognitive impairment → suggests drug therapy is what is important to alleviate symptoms

Token economy

Evaluation: Practical application

Dickerson et al (2005)'s meta-analysis of 13 studies found TE effective in increasing adaptive behaviour → practical app → can be implemented + improve independent functioning

Token economy

Evaluation: ethical issues

Ethical issues → for reinforcement to be effective, clinicians may control important primary reinforcers (eg: privacy, food, access to activities that alleviate boredom) + patients need tokens to access these → possible violation of human rights, which some may believe is wrong REGARDLESS of improving positive behaviour

Token economy

Evaluation: limitation

May not carry over to outside of institution → Patients learn they will be receive tokens + rewards for displaying certain behaviours (eg: brushing teeth, showering) → when re-entering everyday life, may not continue adaptive behaviours bcs no rewards → limits longevity/practicality of TE in improving adaptive behaviours unlike other treatments eg: APs