Date of Award

8-1982

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Neil D. Kent

Second Advisor

Dr. Ronald Hutchinson

Third Advisor

Dr. Paul T. Mountjoy

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

The effects of a changing criteria token economy system and a self-recording procedure on the duration and accuracy of pre-school children's distance running behavior are examined. In the first study, the use of tokens contingent on gradually longer duration of running times increased the length of time children would run, to twelve minutes, a clinically significant duration. In the second study, the use of package intervention that included a self-recording device and contingent tokens increased the accuracy with which preschoolers followed directions to run a specified number of laps. Tokens alone also increased the accuracy of lap running, but not to the levels seen with the addition of the self-recording procedure. The implications of these findings in the areas of physical fitness and educational technology are discussed.

Included in

Psychology Commons

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