Preference for and reinforcing efficacy of different types of attention in preschool children

Harper et al. (2021) asked which kind of teacher attention preschoolers like best.

They ran a paired-choice game where kids picked between conversation, touch, praise, or just being near.

Next they checked if the top choices really kept kids working as the task got harder.

Chat and high-fives won almost every time.

Those same two kept children responding even when praise had to be given less often.

Still, all attention types stopped working once rewards became too far apart.

Johnson et al. (1994) saw a token economy fail for kids with ADHD plus intellectual disability.

Harper’s study shows attention can work, but only for neurotypical preschoolers and only under thick schedules.

Jowett Hirst et al. (2016) also let kids choose, then tested the choice in class; their older group kept working with either tokens or response cost.

Kemp et al. (2024) add that edibles appear in fewer than one-third of today’s ABA studies, giving you room to favor social reinforcers when parents worry about candy.

If you teach typical preschoolers, start with genuine conversation or quick physical play before handing out stickers.

Watch the schedule: when praise moves past every minute or two, plan to thicken it again or swap in a stronger reward.