Degree Name
Master of Science
Graduate Program
Behavior Analysis and Therapy
Advisor
Baker, Jonathan C.
Abstract
Behavior management in the general education classroom can be difficult at times for educators. Attention is one reinforcer of children's behavior in the classroom and the child's behavior may be maintained by teacher attention or peer attention. If attentions is implemented appropriately, peer or teacher attention may prove to be an effective reinforcer in maintaining appropriate behaviors in the classroom. Teacher attention is commonly used to maintain student performance (Broussard & Northup, 1997). Educators may not know which is more reinforcing to the typical student in the general education classroom - teacher attention or peer attention. However, evaluating the effectiveness of such a reinforcer involves evaluating the preference for an intervention, rather than a specific stimulus that can be arranged in a traditional stimulus preference assessment (Hagopian, Long, &Rush, 2004; Hanley, Iwata, & Lindberg, 1999). A modified concurrent-chains assessment can be used to determine the reinforcer preference of individuals (Hanley, 2010). This paper will summarize the use of a modified concurrent-chains assessment on typical students in the general education classroom in order to determine students' preference of peer attention vs. teacher attention.