Applying Herrnstein's Matching Law to Influence Students' Choice to Complete Difficult Academic Tasks

Extending research on the interspersal procedure to perceptions of continuous reading assignments: Applied and theoretical implications of a failure to replicate

“…Thus, student preference for the experimental assignments is in accordance with earlier research related to the matching law that suggests students would prefer assignments that result in greater rates of reinforcement (Herrnstein, 1961;Martens, Lochner, & Kelly, 1992;McDowell, 1988;Neef et al, 1993;Neef et al, 1992;Neef et al, 1994). Although several studies appear to support this hypothesis (e.g., Skinner, Fletcher et al, 1996;Skinner et al, 1999;Skinner, Robinson et al, 1996), an alternative hypothesis may be that the procedure is effective because the interspersed problems are easier, as opposed to briefer, and completing easier problems enhances students' academic self-concept and their perceptions of assignments (Logan & Skinner, 1998;Neef, Iwata, & Page, 1980). The primary purpose of the current study was to begin investigating the effects of the interspersal procedure on students' perceptions of reading tasks.…”

“…The seemingly inconsistent findings across previous studies where mathematics assignments were manipulated (Cates & Skinner, 2000;Cates et al, in press;Logan & Skinner, 1998;Skinner, Fletcher et al, 1996;Skinner et al, 1999;Skinner, Robinson et al, 1996;Wildmon et al, 1998;Wildmon et al, 1999) and the current study where reading passages were manipulated may have implications regarding the causal variable(s) responsible for the effectiveness of the interspersal procedure. One reason why the interspersal procedure may have been effective with mathematics assignments is that the additional interspersed problems were easier than target problems.…”

“…Skinner and colleagues have suggested that while students are working independently on assignments, discrete task or problem completion is a conditioned reinforcing event. These researchers have posited that the interspersal procedure is effective because interspersing additional briefer problem increases problem completion rates and rates of reinforcement (Skinner, Fletcher, et al, 1996;Skinner et al, 1999;Skinner, Robinson et al, 1996). Thus, student preference for the experimental assignments is in accordance with earlier research related to the matching law that suggests students would prefer assignments that result in greater rates of reinforcement (Herrnstein, 1961;Martens, Lochner, & Kelly, 1992;McDowell, 1988;Neef et al, 1993;Neef et al, 1992;Neef et al, 1994).…”

“…Previous researchers have found that manipulating independent mathematics assignments by interspersing additional briefer and easier problems improved students' perceptions of those assignments (Cates & Skinner, 2000;Cates et al, in press;Logan & Skinner, 1998;Skinner, Fletcher et al, 1996;Skinner et al, 1999;Skinner, Robinson et al, 1996;Wildmon et al, 1998;Wildmon et al, 1999). The current study attempted to extend this research by applying the interspersal procedures to reading passages.…”

“…Skinner and colleagues have conducted a series of studies that showed that they could enhance students' perceptions of mathematics assignments by adding and interspersing additional problems that are briefer and easier than target problems (Cates & Skinner, 2000;Cates, Skinner, Watkins, & Rhymer, in press;Logan & Skinner, 1998;Skinner, Fletcher, Wildmon, & Belfiore, 1996;Skinner et al, 1999;Skinner, Robinson, Johns, Logan, & Belfiore, 1996;Wildmon, Skinner, McCurdy, & Sims, 1999;Wildmon, Skinner & McDade, 1998). In these studies, students were exposed to control assignments that contained only target mathematics problems (e.g., 679 ϫ 87 ϭ ) and experimental assignments where briefer, easier problems (e.g., 6 ϫ 8 ϭ ) were added and interspersed following every third problem.…”