Einar T. Ingvarsson, SungWoo Kahng, & Nicole L. Hausman. (2008)
Some effects of noncontingent positive reinforcement on multiply controlled
problem behavior and compliance in a demand context.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
41, 435-440.
Functional analysis suggested that the problem behavior of an 8-year-old girl with autism
was maintained by escape from demands and access to edible items. Noncontingent delivery
of an edible item was sufficient to increase compliance and reduce the rate of problem behavior
without the use of escape extinction in a demand context. Leaner and richer schedules of
noncontingent reinforcement were equally effective, and there were minimal differences
between noncontingent reinforcement and differential reinforcement of compliance.
DESCRIPTORS: autism, escape behavior, noncontingent reinforcement, problem behavior, reinforcement density