Adults as discriminative stimuli for different reinforcement contingencies with retarded children

One adult dispensed food and praise for play behavior, while a second adult reinforced the retarded children in a group setting on a noncontingent fixed interval schedule. Two children were selected as targets for individual analysis. The entry of the contingent adult evoked play; the noncontingent adult did not influence behavior. After extinction, the adults reversed roles. Conditioning was replicated, supporting the conclusion that contingent reinforcement outweighed the other differences between the two adults (sex, familiarity, status, etc.). Four subsequent tests of one S were conducted to evaluate the generality and strength of control. The adults acquired discriminative properties when paired with specific reinforcement contingencies.