Does the Good Behavior Game evoke negative peer pressure? Analyses in primary and secondary classrooms
Good Behavior Game cuts disruption and makes kids nicer to each other—no peer bullying side effects.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Groves and her team ran the Good Behavior Game in two special-ed classrooms. One class had 8- to young learners. The other had 12- to young learners.
They watched for two things: disruptive behavior and peer interactions. They counted how often kids teased, grabbed, or left a friend out.
The game was simple. Teams earn points for following rules. If one kid breaks a rule, the team loses a point. The team with the most points wins a small prize.
What they found
Disruptive behavior dropped fast in both rooms. It stayed low for the whole study.
Negative peer moves like teasing almost stopped. Positive moves like sharing went up.
No child was picked on for making the team lose. The feared “negative peer pressure” did not happen.
How this fits with other research
Spilles (2026) later asked, “Does competition help or hurt?” In general-ed third and fourth grade, the competitive GBG made kids like each other more than the cooperative version. Both studies show GBG helps peer bonds, not hurts them.
Deshais et al. (2019) tested other group prizes in first grade. They also saw more work done and no signs of peer blame. The pattern is the same across ages and settings.
Spealman et al. (1978) showed that middle-school teachers usually give more scolds than praise. Groves et al. flip that baseline by letting the kids earn praise together. The old data makes the new result look even stronger.
Why it matters
You can run the Good Behavior Game without fear of bullying or peer blame. It works in both elementary and middle-school special-ed rooms. Start tomorrow: pick two clear rules, split the class into teams, and let them earn points for following them. You should see quieter rooms and friendlier kids by Friday.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Post two rules, divide the class into two teams, and start a point race for following them.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a classroom management system that employs an interdependent group contingency, whereby students work as a team to win the game. Although previous anecdotal data have suggested that this arrangement may promote prosocial behavior, teachers may have concerns about its fairness and potential to evoke negative peer interactions (especially toward students who break the rules). We evaluated disruptive behaviors and social interactions during the GBG in a secondary classroom for students with emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as in a primary classroom for students with mild developmental disabilities. Results indicate that the GBG reduced disruptive behaviors; further, negative peer interactions decreased and positive interactions increased when the game was being played. Social validity results indicate that the majority of students thought the interdependent group contingency was fair.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2019 · doi:10.1002/jaba.513