The utility of behavior contracts and behavior proclamations with advantaged senior high school students

The relative efficiency of behavioral contracts and behavioral proclamations was empirically appraised in a parochial high school setting. Subjects were a select group of academically oriented seniors studying Problems in Democracy. The study consisted of an intra-subject replication design with eight phases aimed at determining the controlling influences of the experimental conditions for increasing appropriate student behavior. Line graphs and percentage tables were employed to analyze observational data. Results supported the position that students attain higher rates of appropriate behavior when given the opportunity to assist in classroom management. Both behavioral proclamations and contracts proved superior to the standard classroom procedures of the baselines.