The effects of reinforcement and economic status on student performance : a comparison of two elementary schools

One purpose of this study was to discover the effects which both reinforcement and economic status have on student performance. Using a reward system designed to promote scholastic performance, the study investigated the differences in performance of children in two elementary schools, one comprised of students mainly from upper-middle economic backgrounds and the other comprised of students from mainly low economic backgrounds. A further concern of this study was to observe naturally-occurring teacher attention to determine whether approval affects performance.

The two measurement procedures employed were direct observation by trained observers and daily record keeping by the teachers. The observed behaviors of concern to the present study were sustained schoolwork, teacher approval, and teacher disapproval. Teachers kept data on the children's work units, recording units assigned as well as units actually completed satisfactorily. From these data, a "percentage completed" figure, or total points, was obtained.

Experimental conditions involved taking baseline measurements and establishing a contingency management program in each classroom. This program's reward system consisted of the children's earning a trip to an "achievement store" (containing free books and toys) contingent upon their completing a required amount of assigned work units in a certain period of time.

The statistical procedure employed was the Mann-Whitney U, computed on the percentages of occurrence of selected behaviors. Mann-Whitney U data provided statistical evidence of whether there was a significant difference between performance during baseline and that during treatment.

The results of the study indicate that, in general, the reward system was ineffective. Mann-Whitney U tests showed there were no treatment effects for either the performance level (sustained schoolwork, total points) or the amount of teacher attention (teacher approval, teacher disapproval) for any class, with one exception: Teacher approval in the fourth grade of the upper-middle economic group decreased significantly during treatment. A comparison of the fourth grades of the two schools indicates that the upper-middle-class children received a greater amount of approval than did the low-class children during baseline, and they received about the same amount of approval during treatment. Furthermore, they performed at a much higher level than did the low-class children during both baseline and treatment.

To explain this higher level of performance, one's first inclination is to turn to teacher approval. However, throughout all phases of the study, performance levels of the two economic classes were significantly different while the differences in approval levels of the two groups were negligible. Thus, performance must be attributed to variables other than those observed in the present study. A likely explanation of the differences in performance levels may lie in the economic classes of the two groups. As indicated in the literature, upper- and middleclass parents provide a more educationally stimulating home environment for their children than do low-class parents. Having been motivated to scholastic achievement, upper- and middle-class children perform at higher levels than do low-class children.