Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2008

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Philip N. Chase.

Abstract

Ten middle-school students were assigned to receive feedback and token reinforcement either every 1 min (HR) or every 15 min (LR). Subjects used a computer program to learn to perform 5 basic algebra skills at high rates and high accuracy. Subjects were yoked with a partner for practice so that each member of the pair completed the same number of items per skill. Subjects were provided with cumulative review worksheets and then were tested for distraction, adduction, and retention. Results suggest that HR facilitates faster acquisition of skills as well as better performance on cumulative reviews, distraction, and retention tests. Subjects were generally unable to complete the adduction items, suggesting that the current procedures may be inadequate for producing generalization of skills.

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