Topic 22: Token Economies Flashcards
Token Economy
a reinforcement system in which conditioned reinforcers called tokens are delivered to people for desirable behaviors
the tokens are later exchanged for backup reinforcers
Token
a conditioned reinforcer used in a token economy
the token is something that can be given to another person and accumulated by that person
the token is a conditioned reinforcer because it is given to the person after a desirable behavior and is exchanged for established reinforcers called backup reinforcers
Backup Reinforcers
reinforcers in a token economy, a client receives tokens for desirable behaviors and exchanges a specified number of tokens for any of a variety of backup reinforcers
What is a token?
a conditioned reinforcer that can be given immediately after a behavior and exchanged later for known reinforcers, called backup reinforcers
How are token economies different than other token based systems?
directed at changing the behaviors of groups of people, not just individual
directed at changing a number of target behaviors
apply complex systems to manage the consequences of behaviors
How do you start a token economy?
decide on the target behaviors
conduct a functional assessment to determine the antecedents and consequences involved in the behaviors
recruit staff members to administer the program
train staff to: identify the target behaviors, modify the antecedents and consequences, record data, administer the tokens
collect baseline data
How do you decide on the target behaviors in a token economy?
identify and define the target behaviors
depends on the problems that exist
needs of the group members
needs of the organization or institution implementing the program
this is easier to do if the group members are similar to each other
What are some examples of tokens?
poker chips, stars or stamps on a chart, checkmarks in a table, entries on a data sheet, specifically printed paper money, coinlike tokens
What are practical considerations for tokens?
durable: they may have to be used for an extended period of time
inexpensive
convenient to transport, store, handle
readily accessible to the practitioner, and easy to dispense
not harmful to the learners (e.g. avoid small items that may present a choking hazard to small children)
difficult to steal or counterfeit
tokens themselves should probably not be desirable objects
How to you set up a token economy?
select tokens, which may be tangible or symbolic
set up facilities: large institutions may have a “store” where tokens may be exchanged for backup reinforcers
select backup reinforcers
manage consequences
How do you select backup reinforcers?
identify robust reinforcers by observing people’s preferences in naturalistic settings, or on structured tests (e.g. surveys or questionnaires)
provide a variety of reinforcers to accommodate all individuals
decide whether to apply fines/response cost, and how
What are the guidelines for administering tokens?
deliver tokens immediately following the target behavior
deliver natural reinforcers (like praise) along with tokens
maintain accurate records of target behaviors and reinforcers dispensed
give bonus rewards for high levels of performance, if possible
How do you decide on the schedule of reinforcement?
how many tokens will a target behavior earn?
goal is to maximize performance of the target behavior
may depend on supply and demand of tasks/behaviors
also influenced by each individual’s ability
What does the exchange rate between tokens and backup reinforcers depend on?
number of tokens earned for a target behavior
cost of the backup reinforcer
amount of supply and demand for a particular reinforcer
What is the availability of backup reinforcers?
for clients with intellectual disabilities or children, backup reinforcers should be delivered at the same time as tokens, to strengthen the association between them
availability of backup reinforcers can be reduced over time: twice a day, then only once a week, etc.
How do you phase out a token economy?
before the client leaves the program, the token economy should be phased out
thin the schedule of reinforcement
delay reinforcement
replace programmed reinforcers (tokens) with natural reinforcers
Why should the token economy be phased out before the client leaves the program?
phasing out can be started when the client is consistently successful in the program
behavior should be maintained by natural contingencies
this allows the behavior to generalize to real-life situations
How do you thin the schedule of reinforcement?
decrease the number of tokens earned by a behavior
decrease the number of behaviors that are eligible for tokens
increasing the number of tokens needed to exchange for a backup reinforcers
What are the benefits of token economies?
is an effective way of changing problem behaviors
gains from token economy show greater response maintenance than other behavior change procedures
but token economies may also help reduce costs (e.g. enhancing safety in industry)
participants in token economies rate their satisfaction as high; token economies can help people develop real-world skills (e.g. working for pay, managing money)
What are the problems of token economies?
gains may be lost after the person leaves the token economy (academic skills are likely to be retained)
high costs are often involved
criticized as demeaning
