Self-selection of standards by children: The relative effectiveness of pupil-selected and teacher-selected standards of performance

This study examines the effects of contingent reinforcement under conditions of pupil-selected and teacher-selected performance standards upon pupils' academic response rates. The academic response rate was measured by the number of correct responses emitted per session. Thirty pupils (15 second-graders and 15 third-graders) were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups, based on matched triplets. One group worked under pupil-selected standards; the second group worked under standards selected by the experimenter with each pupil yoked to a member of the pupil-selected standards groups. Both groups participated in the calculation of their daily earnings. The third group served as a no-contingency control group. Baseline academic response rates on writing and math tasks were determined. During the experimental sessions reinforcement was provided in the form of points which were later traded for tangible rewards. The pupil-selected standards group showed a significantly greater number of correct responses in the writing and math tasks than the externally selected standards group.