EFFECTS OF PROBLEM DIFFICULTY AND REINFORCER QUALITY ON TIME ALLOCATED TO CONCURRENT ARITHMETIC PROBLEMS

Students with learning difficulties participated in two studies that a nalyzed the effects of problem difficulty and reinforcer quality upon time allocated to two sets of arithmetic problems reinforced according to a concurrent variable-interval 30-s variable-interval 120-s schedu le. In Study 1, high- and low-difficulty arithmetic problems were syst ematically combined with rich and lean concurrent schedules (nickels u sed as reinforcers) across conditions using a single-subject design. T he pairing of the high-difficulty problems with the richer schedule fa iled to offset rime allocated to that alternative. Study 2 investigate d the interactive effects of problem difficulty and reinforcer quality (nickels vs. program money) upon time allocation to arithmetic proble ms maintained by the concurrent schedules of reinforcement. Unlike pro blem difficulty, the pairing of the laser quality reinforcer (program money) with the richer schedule reduced the time allocated to that alt ernative. The magnitude of this effect was greatest when combined with the low-difficulty problems. These studies have important implication s for a matching law analysis of asymmetrical reinforcement variables that influence rime allocation.