title: Predicting preference for items during periods of extended access based on early response allocation.
abstract: Top-ranked items were identified during 30-min free-operant preference assessments for 9 individuals. Data from each session were analyzed to identify the item (a) that was engaged with first in each session and (b) to which the most responding was allocated after 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, and 25 min had elapsed in each session. The results indicated that the first-engaged item and the 5-min high-allocation item predicted the top-ranked item in 55% and 62% of the sessions, respectively. The results also showed that engagement with the top-ranked item from the first session decreased across subsequent sessions for 6 of the 9 participants. The implications of the results for brief versus extended stimulus preference assessments are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Community Psychology, St. Cloud State University, 720 Fourth Avenue South, EB A261, St. Cloud, Minnesota 56301, USA. jtrapp@stcloudstate.edu
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.forename: Nairim C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Colby-Dirksen
authors.forename: Greg J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: Kendra L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Marvin
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D006801:Humans; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology