Anna C. Schmidt, Gregory P. Hanley, & Stacy A. Layer.
A further analysis of the value of choice: Controlling for illusory discriminative stimuli and evaluating the effects of less preferred items.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
42, 711-716.
We sought to address limitations of prior research that has isolated choice as
an independent variable. Children’s preferences for the opportunity to choose
were evaluated in a concurrent-chains arrangement in which identical
consequences were available in choice and no-choice conditions. Results
demonstrated that preference for choice, in and of itself, was (a) evident in
children, (b) not controlled by illusory discriminative stimuli such as the
amount from which to choose, and (c) generally unaffected by less preferred
and potentially unimportant consequences.
DESCRIPTORS: choice, concurrent-chains arrangement, preference assessment, preschool children