Abstract

FERNANDES, Estefania Cheruli  and  SANTOS, Antônio Carlos Godinho. Reinforcement contingencies programming to strengthen pro-social repertoire in the school context. Rev. bras. ter. comport. cogn. [online]. 2009, vol.11, n.2, pp. 285-304. ISSN 1517-5545.

The present study investigated the effect of reinforcing contingencies on the increase in the prosocial behavior of students in the school context. Radical Behaviorism has a powerful arsenal to contribute to improvement in Education, especially the positive reinforcement principle. Twenty students, three teachers and the school co-coordinator participated in this study. The experimental conditions were: Baseline and intervention, presentation of the principles of experimental analysis to teachers and the school coordinator and the practice of activities that focus on pro-social behavior with the students. The results indicate a reduction in the frequency of anti-social behavior, an increase in pro-social behavior, increased student participation in the school’s program of activities and a reduction in the frequency of aversive control by teachers. These data confirm that reinforcing contingencies were effective in strengthening pro-social behavior.

Keywords : Positive reinforcement; Pro-social behavior; Aversive control; Educational psychology and contingency programming.

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