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. 2009 Fall;42(3):711-6.
doi: 10.1901/jaba.2009.42-711.

A further analysis of the value of choice: controlling for illusory discriminative stimuli and evaluating the effects of less preferred items

Anna C Schmidt  1 , Gregory P Hanley, Stacy A Layer
Affiliations

A further analysis of the value of choice: controlling for illusory discriminative stimuli and evaluating the effects of less preferred items

Anna C Schmidt et al. J Appl Behav Anal. 2009 Fall.

Abstract

We sought to address limitations of prior research that has isolated choice as an independent variable. Children's preferences for the opportunity to choose were evaluated in a concurrent-chains arrangement in which identical consequences were available in choice and no-choice conditions. Results demonstrated that preference for choice, in and of itself, was (a) evident in children, (b) not controlled by illusory discriminative stimuli such as the amount from which to choose, and (c) generally unaffected by less preferred and potentially unimportant consequences.

Keywords: choice; concurrent-chains arrangement; preference assessment; preschool children.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of initial-link selections of choice, no-choice, and control conditions for all children. Asterisks indicate the cessation of praise for accurate responses in terminal links (Lena and Alton).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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