Byron Wine

Use of the Performance Diagnostic Checklist to Select an Intervention Designed to Increase the Offering of Promotional Stamps at Two Sites of a Restaurant Franchise

Abstract The performance diagnostic checklist (PDC) was administered to examine the variables influencing the offering of promotional stamps by employees at two sites of a restaurant franchise. PDC results suggested that a lack of appropriate antecedents, equipment and processes, and consequences were responsible for the deficits. Based on these results, an intervention consisting of task clarification, self-monitoring, equipment modification, goal setting, and graphic feedback was implemented and evaluated with a multiple baseline design across settings. The results for restaurant 1 yielded baseline and intervention means of 25% and 72%, respectively. The results for restaurant 2 yielded baseline and intervention means of 11% and 80%, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that the PDC is a useful tool for guiding intervention selection for performance deficits which occur across more than one site.

A Comparison Between Survey and Verbal Choice Methods of Identifying Potential Reinforcers Among Employees

Abstract Two methods of assessing preference for stimuli (i.e., potential reinforcers) were compared for adult administrative assistant employees. During Phase 1, a survey method and a verbal choice method of assessing preference for 6 stimuli were administered. During Phase 2, a coupon system was used to determine which categories of stimuli actually functioned as reinforcers for each of the four participants. Comparisons between the preference assessment methods were then conducted based on the results of the reinforcer assessment. Results showed that the survey method was more accurate than the choice method.

Temporal (In)Stability of Employee Preferences for Rewards

This study examined the temporal stability of employee preferences for rewards over seven monthly evaluations. Participants completed a ranking stimulus preference assessment monthly, and the latter six monthly assessments were compared to the initial assessment. Correlations of preferences from month to month ranged from r = −.89 to .99. Contrary to the stationarity axiom of rational choice economic theory, but consistent with a behavioral economic perspective, preferences for rewards changed across time for all participants and sometimes even reversed for some. This temporal instability suggests that organizations implementing incentive programs using preference assessments should periodically re-evaluate employee reward preferences and not assume temporal constancy of preferences.

Further Evaluation of the Accuracy of Managerial Prediction of Employee Preference

Previous research (i.e., Wilder, Rost, & McMahon, 2007) has suggested that managers perform poorly when predicting items and activities which their employees state that they might like to earn as part of performance improvement programs. The purpose of the current study was to replicate the earlier study conducted by Wilder et al. (2007) with a larger and more diverse sample of managers and employees. One hundred employees and 15 managers were asked to rank order a list of items/activities they thought their employees would most prefer to be incorporated into a performance improvement plan. Next, employee preference for these same items was directly assessed using an employee reinforcer survey. Kendall rank-order correlation coefficients were used to compare the results of the managerial rank with the employee reinforcer survey. Correlations ranged from −.6 to 1, with a mean of .25.

The Effects of Varied versus Constant High-, Medium-, and Low-Preference Stimuli on Performance.

The purpose of the current study was to compare the delivery of varied versus constant high-, medium-, and low-preference stimuli on performance of 2 adults on a computer-based task in an analogue employment setting. For both participants, constant delivery of the high-preference stimulus produced the greatest increases in performance over baseline; the varied presentation produced performance comparable to constant delivery of medium-preference stimuli. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the selection and delivery of stimuli as part of employee performance-improvement programs in the field of organizational behavior management.

The Effects of Progressively Thinning High-Preference Item Delivery on Responding in Employees

The use of mixed-preference reinforcer delivery (i.e., the random delivery of a set of items with varying degrees of preference for each individual) with employees has been found to produce moderate levels of responding in an analog setting; however, mixed reinforcer delivery may not conform to the recommendations made by some popular writers in organizational behavior management. The current investigation used a progressively thinning high-preference stimulus delivery procedure to investigate the use of mixed reinforcer delivery with 5 employees. Results indicated that most participants did not reliably complete work when the percent chance of earning a high-preference item dropped below 100%. These results do not support the use of varied reinforcers in applied settings.

An Initial Assessment of Effective Preference Assessment Intervals Among Employees

Previous research has shown that employee preferences for tangible items may change significantly from one month to the next. Although a 1-month interval may be too long to wait between preference assessment administrations, no guidelines exist with regard to how often to assess employee preference. This study examined changes in preference as measured by two different preference assessments across four different time intervals. We measured preference stability by assessing changes in designations of high- and low-preference items from one assessment to the next. Only the 1-week interval indicated no changes in item designation from high preference to low preference or low preference to high preference. These data suggest that if tangibles are used, preferences may need to be assessed over time.

An Examination of Generalized-Conditioned Reinforcers in Stimulus Preference Assessments

Generalized-conditioned reinforcers (GCRs) are advocated for by practitioners when possible because of their ability to function as reinforcers across a wide array of motivative operations. In organizational behavior management 2 common GCRs are praise and money. Although many studies have demonstrated their usefulness, no prior study has compared relative preferences for GCRs (specifically money) and other potentially reinforcing items. A total of 24 direct care employees from a group home setting completed assessments for potential reinforcers. All participants in the current study identified items other than money as high-preference items, suggesting that some items may serve as alternatives to money in terms of preference.

Further Effects of Lottery Odds on Responding

ABSTRACT Lotteries (i.e., probabilistic bonus contingencies) are an established intervention in Organizational Behavior Management. Although common, there are many permutations of lotteries used in literature and they are often combined with other interventions. One key variable that may influence the effectiveness of lotteries are the odds that the lottery will pay out to those who earn entry. The current investigation evaluated a lottery intervention with varied payout chances (25%, 12%, 6%, or 3%). A 6% chance of winning was the lowest odds of winning where responding was reliably maintained across two participants. Implications of these results and future direction for research are discussed below.

Icing on the Cake: The Role of Research in Practitioner Training

Dixon, Reed, Smith, Belisle, and Jackson (Behavior Analysis in Practice 8, 7–15, 2015) evaluated research productivity in BACB training programs. While research productivity may indeed be an important metric for future researchers, we posit that the field consists mainly of practitioners, and as such training should be focused on practice. We provide an alternative perspective on enhancing the quality of education for behavior analysts who will, by and large, go on to be practitioners.