Effects of Rule Structure and Reward Magnitude on the Acquisition and Adoption of Self-Reward Criteria

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of rule structure and reward magnitude on children's acquisition and adoption of a self-reward criterion that a training agent had either displayed or imposed. A 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design, with two levels of rule structure, two levels of reward magnitude, two modes of training, and sex differentiation was employed. as predicted, high rule structuring resulted in less rule deviation and more self-rewarding verbalizations than did low rule structuring. However, contrary to prediction, high-reward Ss did not differ significantly from low-reward Ss with respect to the amount of rule violation committed in the training agent's absence.