Which statement about token economies is true?

Which statement about token economies is true?

• A. It relies on negative reinforcement to increase behaviours.
• B. A system where tokens earned for desirable behaviours are exchanged for rewards, using positive reinforcement.
• C. It is a form of cognitive restructuring.
• D. It is a vanishing cue for aversive conditioning.

Answer: (B)

Token economies rely on positive reinforcement to shape behavior. In this system, individuals earn tokens for desirable behaviors, and these tokens can be exchanged later for rewards or privileges. The tokens themselves act as secondary reinforcers because their value comes from the rewards they can be traded for. The reinforcement is positive, since something desirable is added after the appropriate behavior, not removed. This differs from negative reinforcement, which increases behavior by taking away an aversive stimulus. It isn’t about cognitive restructuring, which focuses on changing thoughts, nor about aversive conditioning cues that fade away. So the statement that token economies involve tokens earned for desirable behaviors exchanged for rewards using positive reinforcement is the best description.

Token economies rely on positive reinforcement to shape behavior. In this system, individuals earn tokens for desirable behaviors, and these tokens can be exchanged later for rewards or privileges. The tokens themselves act as secondary reinforcers because their value comes from the rewards they can be traded for. The reinforcement is positive, since something desirable is added after the appropriate behavior, not removed. This differs from negative reinforcement, which increases behavior by taking away an aversive stimulus. It isn’t about cognitive restructuring, which focuses on changing thoughts, nor about aversive conditioning cues that fade away. So the statement that token economies involve tokens earned for desirable behaviors exchanged for rewards using positive reinforcement is the best description.