An evaluation of synchronous reinforcement for increasing on‐task behavior in preschool children
Give the reinforcer right away, not later, to keep preschoolers on task and happy.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Diaz de Villegas et al. (2020) tested two ways to give stickers to preschoolers while they worked at table tasks. One group got a sticker right away each time they stayed on task. The other group earned tokens that turned into one big sticker pile at the end.
The team flipped the two schedules back-to-back every ten minutes so each child tried both in the same morning.
What they found
Kids stayed on task more when the sticker arrived right away. When asked which way they liked, most pointed to the immediate-sticker condition.
The study calls this setup 'synchronous reinforcement' because the reward syncs with the behavior.
How this fits with other research
Diaz de Villegas et al. (2024) ran the same comparison four years later and got the same win for synchronous delivery, showing the effect is reliable.
Hardesty et al. (2023) swapped the comparison condition. They pitted synchronous stickers against free goodies given on a fixed clock. Synchronous still won for on-task time, but kids liked the free-goodie minutes just as much. The papers look opposite on preference until you see the methods: Diaz de Villegas compared immediate versus delayed earning, while Hardesty compared earning versus noncontingent free stuff.
Leslie et al. (2024) moved the schedule to mask wearing and found synchronous praise plus stickers kept preschoolers masked for thirty-minute stretches, proving the trick travels to new responses.
Why it matters
If you run table-time or circle-time with three- to five-year-olds, stop stacking tokens for a big payoff at the end. Hand the sticker, high-five, or gummy bear the moment you see the target behavior. The child works harder, likes the activity more, and you avoid the hassle of counting tokens later.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
A synchronous-reinforcement schedule is a type of schedule of covariation in which the onset and offset of the reinforcer covaries with the onset and offset of behavior. This study was a proof-of-concept demonstration of the efficacy of synchronous reinforcement for on-task behavior (completing a preacademic skill) and an evaluation of preschoolers' preference for this schedule in comparison to a more traditional schedule of reinforcement. Specifically, we compared the effects of a synchronous-reinforcement schedule to one in which continuous access to stimuli was delivered at the end of the session and yoked to the duration of on-task behavior that occurred during the session (accumulated reinforcement). Results showed the synchronous-reinforcement schedule was more effective for increasing on-task behavior and preferred by most participants.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2020 · doi:10.1002/jaba.696