Social reinforcer effectiveness under isolation and task reversal conditions in elementary school children

Abstract

The present study investigated the relationship between social isolation, task reversal and age in a two-choice probability learning situation. An equal number of high and low anxious girls from grades 2, 4 and 6 underwent 0 and 15 minutes of social isolation. Following isolation Ss were given a two-choice probability learning task in which they received social reinforcement for correct responses. When Ss reached a probability matching level of responding the reinforcement contingencies were reversed. Significant effects were found for isolation, age, reversal and the isolation x age interaction. The results are discussed in terms of Spence's theoretical formulations on the relationship between drive level and association strength of the correct response.