THE EFFECTS OF A TOKEN REINFORCEMENT PROCEDURE ON BUS RIDERSHIP¹

Abstract

Tokens, exchangeable for a variety of back-up reinforcers, were delivered for several days to all persons boarding a clearly marked campus bus. This procedure increased ridership to 150% of baseline. The experiment was carried out to demonstrate the applicability of operant techniques to urban transportation problems. In this study, a token reinforcement procedure was introduced in an attempt to increase bus ridership while holding the costs of reinforcers to a minimum and circumventing the problems of individual satiety and preferences and of delivering cumbersome reinforcers. A methodology for establishing a token-exchange procedure in an "open-field" behavior setting, where the subject population size, geographic location, preferences, age, sex, preferred hours of mobility, etc. are unspecified, is also presented. technology (e.g., a new subway system). Physical technical advances must be accompanied by behavioral technology to deal effectively with issues that are, to a large degree, clearly behavioral (e.g., few individuals riding buses, too many individuals driving private automobiles). One might assume that use of mass transportation facilities, such as a bus system, is low in this country because it is met with aversive consequences (e.g., paying cash out of one's pocket, a reduction in schedule and route options relative to private car use, and/or the derogatory connotations of being a "bus rider") and that ridership would increase if any of these consequences were eliminated and/or potentially reinforcing events were scheduled to follow busriding responses.The present study sought to manipulate systematically the consequences for boarding a bus in an attempt to increase ridership. In a preliminary study leading to the present experiment, bus ridership on a university campus bus was increased to 213% of the baseline when every rider received a quarter (250) and the verbal comment "thank you for riding the bus" as he boarded the vehicle. The present study was designed to extend these findings by demonstrating the applicability of the operant ap-1974, 73, 1-9 NUMBER 1 (SPRING 1974)

INCREASING SENIOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN A COMMUNITY‐BASED NUTRITIOUS MEAL PROGRAM1

“…Turner and Vernon (1975) found that telephone prompts increased the number of therapy appointments that were kept at a community mental health center; Geller, Farris, and Post (1973) (Clark, Burgess, and Hendee, 1972), increasing the usage of public transportation (Everett, Hayward, and Meyers, 1974), and maintaining attendance at self-help meetings for welfare clients (Miller and Miller, 1970).…”

THE EFFECTS OF INSTRUCTIONS, INCENTIVE, AND FEEDBACK ON A COMMUNITY PROBLEM: DORMITORY NOISE1

“…This conclusion is consistent with the results of previous field-based behavior-modification research (Burgess et at., 1971;Everett et at., 1974;Hauserman et at., 1973;Hermann et al, 1973) Two other interesting phenomena occurred in the data. The first is found on Floor B, Day 4.…”

Cost of Commuting: A Review of Determinants, Outcomes, and Theory of Commuting-Related Stress

“…Whatever the impetus, modern research on commuting stress and its consequences was brought forth by Navaco et al (1979). Navaco and colleagues were the first to apply theoretical knowledge and empirical analysis to the subject of commuting stress, even though there were previous studies on transportation changes and its effects on social and economic issues (e.g., Schaeffer & Schlar, 1980), the process in which community values are COST OF COMMUTING 8 integrated into the transportation planning (e.g., Catalano & Monahan, 1976;Olson, 1969), and even research investigating public opinion on mass transit, and using that information to develop strategies for expanding ridership on mass transit services (Deslauriers & Everett, 1977;Everett et al, 1974;Horowtiz & Sheth, 1976). They observed an area of psychology -that is, transportation stress -that had not yet received much research attention.…”

“…They observed an area of psychology -that is, transportation stress -that had not yet received much research attention. While research to that point had explored the experience of commuting and its significance (Catalano & Monahan, 1976;Deslauriers & Everett, 1977;Everett et al, 1974;Horowitz & Sheth, 1976;Olson, 1969), Navaco and colleagues were the first to study human adaptation in response to stress with respect to psychological theory.…”