Observational effects on the preferences of children with autism.
Have a preferred adult model play with low-preference toys to quickly expand reinforcer options for kids with autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team asked a favorite adult to play with toys the child rarely chose.
They watched if the kids later picked those low-preference toys.
All children had autism and the sessions happened in a quiet therapy room.
What they found
After watching the adult play, every child started choosing the once-boring toys.
The new interest faded for some kids when the adult stopped modeling.
Still, the quick shift gave teachers more reinforcers to use right away.
How this fits with other research
MacDonald et al. (2015) extends this idea by teaching kids who can’t yet learn from watching.
Their step-by-step training created full observational learning where it was missing.
Dudley et al. (2019) used the same pairing trick but with praise and snacks.
They showed pairing works for any stimulus you want to make more powerful.
Milo et al. (2010) adds that rotating reinforcers keeps kids working longer.
Together the four papers say: model, pair, and vary your items to build a strong reinforcer menu.
Why it matters
You can grow a child’s reinforcer list in minutes. Pick a liked adult, have them excitedly play with the toy the child ignores, then let the child in. Start each session with two minutes of this pairing and watch new toys become valuable.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may play with limited objects or toys, making it difficult for teachers to identify reinforcers to use in teaching new skills. The goal of this study was to alter children's preferences from highly preferred toys to toys that were originally less preferred using an observational pairing procedure. Child participants observed a preferred adult playing with toys that were initially less preferred by the child. This intervention resulted in a shift in preference toward the item manipulated by the adult. Maintenance of the changed preference was idiosyncratic across participants. Results suggest a procedure for expanding the range of items that students with ASD will select.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 2012 · doi:10.1901/jaba.2012.45-473