Analysis of response repetition as an error-correction strategy during sight-word reading.
A great deal is known about the effects of positive reinforcement on response acquisition; by contrast, much less research has been conducted on contingencies applied to errors. We examined the effects of response repetition as an error-correction procedure on the sight-word reading performance of 11 adults with developmental disabilities. Study 1 compared single-response (SR) repetition and multiple-response (MR) repetition, and results showed that all 6 participants acquired more sight words with the MR procedure. Study 2 compared MR error correction following every incorrect response (continuous) and following one third of incorrect responses (intermittent), and results showed that all 6 participants acquired more sight words when error correction was continuous. Study 3 compared MR error correction in which errors required practice of the training word (relevant) versus a different word (irrelevant), and results showed that 3 of 9 participants showed better performance under the relevant condition; however, all participants showed improvement even under the irrelevant condition. Findings are discussed in terms of the behavioral processes by which error correction may enhance performance during acquisition.
Worsdell
April S
AS
Rehabilitation Institute, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale 62901, USA. worsdell@siu.edu
Iwata
Brian A
BA
Dozier
Claudia L
CL
Johnson
Adrienne D
AD
Neidert
Pamela L
PL
Thomason
Jessica L
JL
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011932:Reading; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D014825:Vocabulary