chapter 22 - the token economy

Question 1

backup reinforcer

Answer 1

• reinforcers used in a token economy; a client receives tokens for desirable behaviours and exchanged a specified number of tokens for any of a variety of a backup reinforcer

Question 2

token

Answer 2

• conditioned reinforcer used in a token economy; the token is something that can be given to another person and accumulated by that person
• does not work well for people with disabilities

Question 3

token economy

Answer 3

• a reinforcement system in which conditioned reinforcers called tokens are delivered to people for desirable behavior:
  the token later exchanged for backup reinforcers
  **purpose is to strengthen clients desirable behaviors that occur too infrequently and to decrease their undesirable behaviors

Question 4

steps for implementing a token economy

Answer 4

• define TB
• identify the items to use as tokens
• identify backup reinforcers
• deciding the appropriate schedule of reinforcement
• establishing the token exchange rate
• establish the time and place for exchanging tokens
• decide whether or not to use response cost
• staff training and management

Question 5

when to ruse a response cost

Answer 5

• do not use when strengthening behaviour

- use when decreasing a behaviour

Question 6

pros

Answer 6

• can be used to reinfroce behaviour immediately
• high structures; desired TB occur more frequently
• tokens are generalized conditioned reinforcers
• easy to dispense

Question 7

cons

Answer 7

• time and effort
• cost of purchasing backup reinforcers
• staff training