Ch 22: Token Economy

Token Economy

Reinforcement system using token reinforcers and backup reinforcers

Systematic us of _______ __________ _________ called tokens

Positive conditioned reinforcers

Backup Reinforcers

Items tokens are exchanged for in a token economy

Example of Token Economy

students are given a reward like stickers stars chips or privileges for achieving a goal

Token Economy Steps

1. Identify target behavior
2. Functional Assessment
3. Identify what you will use as a token
4. Identify and procure back up reinforcers
5. Decide on a schedule for reinforcement
6. Decide on token exchange rate
7. Determine time and place for exchanging tokens
8. Determine whether your system will use response cost
9. Train for consistency
10. Monitor and evaluate client's progress and staff's implementation
11. Phase out the program

Response Cost

Tokens lost for undesirable behaviors in a token economy

Token Exchange Rate

Number of tokens needed to obtain a backup reinforcer

Continuous Reinforcement

Early schedule in a token economy for consistent target behavior

Intermittent Reinforcement

Later schedule in a token economy for established behaviors

Reinforcing Value

Increased by limiting access to backup reinforcers

Token System Considerations

1. Programming for success
2. Balance between too much or too little working behavior to gain token
3. Are you capable of managing the system - monitor?
4. Pay attention to functional assessment
5. Generalize - paired with descriptive praise, smiles, etc.
6. Cannot deprive food or basic rights and needs
7. Protect against token theft or counterfeiting tokens
8. Flexible - not locked in

Cooperation Versis Competition - which is better?

Incentivized cooperation based competition:
If everyone doesn't get to a certain level, everyone gets nothing Everyone will help everyone to get to the certain level to gain a reward, but who ever is highest will still get more reward

Advantages of Token Economy

Immediate rewards, highly structured, easy to give, quantifiable, tokens are generalized conditioned reinforcers

Disadvantages of Token Economy

Time-consuming, costly, staff training required

A(n) ______ schedule of reinforcement is used early in a token economy and a(n) ________ schedule of reinforcement is used later in the program after the target behaviors are occurring consistently.

continuous; intermittent (fixed ratio or variable ratio)

Limiting access to backup reinforcers increases their ________ because a relative state of deprivation is established.

reinforcing value

Tony is an inmate who earns tokens each day for a number of desirable target behaviors. The guards use money as tokens, and tony can earn a quarter for each of 10 different desirable behaviors each day. At the end of each day tony can spend the money he earned that day at the prison store. What is wrong with this token economy?

Tokens should be an item that cannot be attained from anyone other than the change agent (the guards) money can be obtained or stolen from other inmates or smuggled in during visiting hours

What would you change in the token economy described in Tony's examples to fix the problem?

Utilize poker chips stamped with a certain stamp that only the guards have access to rather than quarters.

If backup reinforcers are freely available to a client, their value as reinforcers in a token economy will be _________.

decreased

The director of a treatment program for juvenile delinquents started a token economy in which residents tokens for prosocial behavior throughout the day and exchanged the tokens for backup reinforcers at the end of the day. A response cost program was also added in which any inappropriate behavior that a resident displayed resulted in the loss of all the residents tokens for that day. What is wrong with this program?

The loss of all tokens through response cost would negate the positive reinforcement of the desirable behaviors because the client does not have tokens to exchange for backup reinforcers.In addition, if the client loses all of their tokens, problem behaviors may continue because the client has nothing left to lose.(aka this would be ineffective)

Johnny is in a special education classroom. Whenever he answers a question correctly in class his teacher puts a poker chip into a coffee can he keeps with him. He accumulates poker chips, and at the end of the school day, he uses his poker chips to buy items such as candy, small toys, stickers, or time in preferred activities

What is the token, back up reinforcers, target behavior, and reinforcement schedule?

token - poker chips

backup reinforcers -candy, small toys, preferred activities

target behavior- answering questions correctly

reinforcement schedule - continuous