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If you had a choice between having a day off or getting paid overtime, what would you choose and how would you decide? The matching law states that people will do things in proportion to the amount of reinforcement that they receive from it. For some people, the extra time off is more valuable, and for others, the extra money is more reinforcing.
Our students may have similar types of choices and will allocate their time towards the outcomes that they value as well. If we offer a student a choice between working on their project with a partner or reading quietly by themselves, they will choose the option that provides them with more reinforcement. We want our students to allocate their time and choices to displaying appropriate behaviors in learning at school.
Research shows that the matching law can be used for increasing skills and reducing problem behavior. This concept can help inform schedules of reinforcement that educators use in the classroom and for specific student behavior plans. Let's consider how this concept applies to behaviors in the classroom.
Meet Jack. Jack really enjoys his teacher's attention. Jack typically needs to raise his hand about 10 times before he gets his teacher's attention by being called on or coming over to his desk. However, when he curses just one time, he gets her attention right away. Which scenario provides more reinforcement for the student?
If we wanted to address this scenario using the matching law, we could flip the rate of reinforcement. For example, the teacher could be vigilant about calling on Jack about every two to three times he raises his hand and deliberately only respond to cursing every five times or so. When doing this, the matching law states that Jack is more likely to begin raising his hand instead of cursing.
In a whole group setting, this is why evidence-based classroom practices encourage a rate of five acknowledgement statements for appropriate behaviors for every one corrective feedback provided. Acknowledging what students are doing well promotes more of that behavior, just like with caring for gardens, what we tend to will grow.
When using the matching law concept, there are various tips that are likely to make it more effective. The more frequently and immediately you reinforce appropriate behavior, the more likely students will demonstrate it. For example, if the teacher called on Jack every single time he raised his hand right when she saw it, he would be even more likely to do it than if she called on him every two to three times.
Providing longer reinforcement periods for appropriate behavior and shorter for problem behavior will buoy students towards the appropriate behavior. If Jack's teacher provides 30 seconds of attention in response to him raising his hand and only 10 seconds for cursing, the matching law states that he will choose the longer duration of reinforcement and therefore raise his hand more than curse.
If the type of reinforcement provided is of higher quality or more preferred by the student, they will likely choose that outcome. Jack really likes when his teacher smiles and jokes with him, so when he raises his hand, his teacher will respond with a smile, praise him for raising his hand, and will throw in a joke at the end of their conversation. But when he curses, she will be more neutral in her response.
In summary, when educators reinforce appropriate behavior as much as possible, students will choose to display those behaviors more often. Even if you have to address problem behaviors at times, the behaviors that you reinforce more will win out. So, make sure to tip the scales by giving more attention, time, and high-quality reinforcement for the positive behaviors you want to see occurring in the classroom. Remember, behavior goes where reinforcement flows.
Thanks for joining us for today's Behavior Bits.