Semester
Summer
Date of Graduation
2005
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
Philip N. Chase.
Abstract
Building skills to high rates and accuracy has been purported to result in fluency, a set of behavioral outcomes identified as retention, endurance, application, problem solving, and stability (REAPS). These outcomes require that the skills persist under changing environmental conditions, and may be conceptualized as examples of resistance to change. As such reinforcement rate should be the critical factor. To test this conceptualization twelve subjects were trained on 5 algebra skills to specified rate and accuracy criteria. Feedback consisting of points, knowledge of results, and corrective feedback was delivered either every 1 or 5 minutes. Stability, application, and problem-solving were assessed after each skill, and retention was assessed 2 weeks after completing all training. No differences were found in accuracy or rate on any of the tests. Present methods are compared to those of previous research in mathematics training, as well as the precision teaching and behavioral momentum literatures.
Recommended Citation
Walker, Vennessa L., "The role of reinforcement rate on fluency" (2005). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 2296.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/2296