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The purpose of this study was to develop an experimental approach for assessing the possible interaction of separate reinforcement programs for attendants and patients on an open psychiatric ward. Patients were reinforced with lunch for engaging in work behavior. Attendants were reinforced with trading stamps for successfully completing assigned behavior modification tasks. Interactions were defined as the effects on the patients' work behavior of introducing and removing the reinforcements for attendants. Results suggest that the introduction of reinforcement for attendants significantly increased patient work behavior, while the removal of reinforcement significantly decreased it. The "piggyback" design has been shown to have utility for exploring the interactions that govern the behavior of members of two groups who are independently reinforced within a social system.

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