Effects of and preference for fixed-ratio and time-based exchange-production schedules in a token system.

Abstract

Token systems have been implemented to change behavior across species and settings. Token systems involve token-production, exchange-production, and token-exchange schedules. The current study evaluated the effects of fixed-ratio and yoked time exchange-production schedules on four preschoolers' responding on an arbitrary, ageappropriate task. Following an initial A-B-A reversal demonstrating a primary reinforcement effect, we used a multi-element design to compare exchange-production schedule conditions and a control condition in which participants earned tokens that were not exchangeable. Following the exchange-production schedule comparison, we examined participants' preferences for the control and exchange-production schedule arrangements. For all participants, tokens exchangeable for backup reinforcers functioned as generalized conditioned reinforcers; however, no consistent differences in responding occurred between the fixed-ratio and yoked time exchange-production conditions. Clear but different preferences for one of the exchange-production schedules emerged for both participants whose preferences were assessed via repeated measurement. These findings support the use of token systems with tokens exchangeable for backup reinforcers with children and arranging the exchangeproduction schedule based on the practical benefit given the context and/or learner preference.

A review of the concurrent‐chains arrangement to assess intervention choice: 2018–2023

“…Although early research evaluated preference for two or more distinct interventions (Iwata & Bailey, 1974), recent research has expanded the use of concurrent-chains arrangements to evaluate different components of the same intervention (e.g., various dimensions of reinforcement). Within the context of skill acquisition, several studies evaluated preference for token systems (e.g., Argueta et al, 2019;Holmes et al, 2022). For example, Argueta et al (2019) assessed preference for fixed-ratio versus variable-ratio token-exchange-production schedules during discrete-trial teaching for one child with ASD.…”

“…Within the context of skill acquisition, several studies evaluated preference for token systems (e.g., Argueta et al, 2019; Holmes et al, 2022). For example, Argueta et al (2019) assessed preference for fixed‐ratio versus variable‐ratio token‐exchange‐production schedules during discrete‐trial teaching for one child with ASD.…”

“…In some studies, moderately preferred colored stimuli were used as initial‐link stimuli (e.g., Chen et al, 2022; Markham et al, 2020b). In other studies, highly preferred colored stimuli were assigned to the control condition (e.g., Holmes et al, 2022; Owen et al, 2021).…”

“…Ethical considerations can emerge when the most preferred intervention is not the most efficient or effective, when clients and their caregivers prefer different interventions, or when clients prefer baseline or control conditions (Dozier et al, 2007), suggesting a possible preference for no intervention at all (e.g., Holmes et al, 2022). In some studies (e.g., Argueta et al, 2019; Chen et al, 2022; Stocco et al, 2020), interventions were similar in efficacy but clients showed a strong preference for one treatment over another.…”

“…An interesting procedural variation was the use of a discrimination test in which participants were asked to vocally describe the contingencies (e.g., Briggs et al, 2018;Stocco et al, 2020), answer comprehension questions (e.g., "What happens when you get this token? "; Holmes et al, 2022), or receptively identify initial-link cards (e.g., Frank-Crawford et al, 2019). Nine of the 44 articles (20%) included a discrimination test.…”