Does the Matching Law Describe the Relationship Between Parental Attention and Child Appropriate Versus Inappropriate Behavior?
(Applied Behavior Analysis). KERRI L. WALTERS (University of Manitoba), Danielle L LaFrance (Florida Institute of Technology), Toby L. Martin (University of Manitoba & St. Amant Centre), and Dickie C. T. Yu (U. of Manitoba & St. Amant Centre) Abstract: Choice opportunities are a significant part of human daily life. Choice can be studied experimentally by presenting the subject with two or more schedules of reinforcement operating simultaneously and independently (Borrero & Vollmer, 2002). This arrangement often yields a reliable behavioral relation (e.g., Hernstein, 1961; see Catania, 1966) known as the matching law. Using video analysis software we observed parental attention and child behavior for two parent-child dyads during two 10 minute conditions. In the Distraction condition we observed appropriate (e.g., solitary play, social interaction, etc.) and inappropriate (e.g., yelling, aggression, etc.) behaviors. In the Instruction condition we observed compliance and noncompliance
