Stability of Patterns of Self-Reinforcement

Abstract

56 Ss were permitted to supplement a 25% reinforcement schedule on a time-estimation task (TET) with ad lib. self-rewards (SR+). on a separate word-association task (WAT), which Ss perceived as unrelated to the TET, Ss were instructed to self-administer either SR+ or self-criticism (SR—) after training on non-contingent 50% reinforcement. High self-re-warders on the TET also significantly exceeded low self-rewarders on the WAT in SR+ frequency, while low self-rewarders were significantly higher on SR —. However, rates of SR+ responses on the TET and SR— on the WAT were not correlated. The implications for personality constructs of the generality of self-rewarding patterns and their independence of self-criticism frequencies are discussed.