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The Effects Of Punishments Versus Rewards On Tardiness At Gym Class

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Reminders and Rewards: Decreasing Tardiness Leaving for Work All people behave inappropriately at times. A child may interrupt his or her elder or an adult may curse in a frustrating situation at work; however, when inappropriate behaviors become chronic and produce consistent negative outcomes, an action plan may need to be put in place to modify unacceptable behaviors. Behavior change is often necessary when a person is unable to reach a specified target behavior on his or her own. In such cases interventions can be put into place to achieve the target behavior. Gresham, Washer, and Skinner (2001) indicate that using Functional Behavioral Assessments to determine the why of a behavior is a best practice in determining appropriate interventions as types of interventions vary greatly. One type of intervention is rewarding desirable behavior. Kosakowski (1998) utilized an ABA reversal design study that examined the effects of punishments versus rewards on tardiness to gym class among ninety 8th grade students. Student tardiness to class was observed and recorded for five days with no attempt to correct the behavior. Quantitative data were taken regarding the number of students to enter class after the tardy bell had finished ringing. After the baseline observation teachers held students accountable to school tardiness policies (punishment) for five days. In the third phase, negative reinforcement was withdrawn and students were only observed. The next interval involved

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