Using a Multiple-Schedule Procedure to Signal the Availability of Attention: Three Demonstrations.
A red card that signals “no attention” quickly teaches teens to stay quiet for 30 minutes and the skill sticks with new adults.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three teens in a locked facility talked way too much to get staff attention.
The team gave staff a red card and a green card. Red meant “no attention now.” Green meant “attention available.”
They tracked how long each teen could stay quiet when the red card was out.
What they found
All three kids learned to zip it for 30 minutes straight when the red card showed.
The quiet behavior carried over to new staff who had never seen the cards.
How this fits with other research
Hilton et al. (2010) got the same quick drop with an adult who wore a black lanyard instead of a card.
Reid et al. (2005) showed preschoolers can keep the rule even after you remove the cue.
The bird work backs this up: Iversen et al. (1984) proved visual cues beat sound cues for clear stop/go control.
Why it matters
You can cut loud, attention-seeking behavior in half a session with a cheap colored card. No extra staff, no tokens, no data sheets during the break. Try it next time a client floods the room with talk or screams. Hold up red, stay quiet, and watch the clock hit 30.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Adjudicated adolescents detained in residential facilities for illegal sexual behavior, as well as adolescents living at home, may engage in problem behaviors such as excessive vocalizations. In residential detention facilities, these excessive vocalizations may result in disciplinary action and loss of privileges. Moreover, excessive vocalizations may also reduce the amount of positive social interactions that staff members and caregivers have with the adolescents. The current study evaluated a multiple-schedule procedure for reducing excessive vocalizations displayed by three adolescents. The procedure involved (a) a red card to signal that attention was not available and (b) either a green card or no card to signal that attention was available. Results show that the participants learned to abstain from vocalizing for up to 30 min when a caregiver presented the red card. In addition, the treatment effects persisted during generalization assessment sessions.
Behavior modification, 2020 · doi:10.1177/0145445519834640