This cluster shows how to use prizes, money, or screen time to help people move more. You will learn how to set step goals, thin rewards, and keep the good habits going while spending less. These tricks work for kids and grown-ups who sit too much or love their phones. A BCBA can copy these plans to make exercise fun and easy for any client.
Common questions from BCBAs and RBTs
Music is set to play only when the person is moving at or above a target speed. When speed drops below the threshold, the music stops. This makes the music a direct consequence of the behavior rather than just background sound, which reliably increases and maintains speed.
Yes. Deposit contracts — where participants put money down that they earn back by meeting step goals — produce reliable activity increases in adults. They also reduce program cost compared to offering external prizes.
Activity often returns toward baseline unless you have built a maintenance strategy. Thin the reinforcement schedule gradually, add self-monitoring, or plan intermittent booster incentives to hold gains after the formal program ends.
Yes. A simple token economy where clients earn one token per completed lap has been shown to triple daily walking in adults with intellectual disabilities when paired with pre-selected backup reinforcers.
It depends on the individual. Music, cash incentives, screen time, and social feedback have all produced results in different populations. Run a brief preference assessment to find what your client values most before starting.