Effects of music-listening contingencies on arithmetic performance and music preference of EMR children

Abstract

A five-phase experiment was designed to investigate (a) whether contingent music-listening would act as a reinforcer to increase arithmetic performance of EMR children and (b) whether this contingent reinforcement would affect preference for that reinforcer. During the three baseline (no reinforcement) phases, subjects returned to their classrooms at the end of the arithmetic work period. During the two treatment phases, experimental subjects meeting criterion were permitted to remain and listen to either rock (high preference) or music classics (low preference). Statistical analyses revealed significant differences between the no-reinforcement and contingent-reinforcement conditions and between the control and four experiment groups during the contingent reinforcement phases. No differential effect between the more or less preferred contingencies was found. Analyses of the music-selection data indicated that the contingencies did not influence music preference.