1. Token Economies The Scooby Doo Classroom
Development and Generalization of adaptive behaviors through contrived reinforcement programs

2. Advantages of Token Economies
Immediate, unobtrusive delivery of reinforcers
Allows for delay of reinforcement
More and more frequent reinforcement can be delivered and for a longer time
Ease of generalization
Greater individuality of reinforcement
Structures administrators attention and reduces subjectivity
Allows for differential valuing of performance

3. Disadvantages of Token Economies
Requires that goals be concrete and specific
Can lead to dependency if weaning not done
Requires a great deal of structure and organization by the administrator
Can be costly if tangible reinforcers used
May prevent or distract administrator from learning more appropriate strategies for controlling behavior
May be easily abused
Requires much time and attention

4. When to Use Token Economies
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS: Other, less intrusive, strategies have been tried and found not to work
When behavior problems are severe and require a highly structured, consistent, predictable environment
When clients cannot wait an extended time for rewards

5. Setting Up a Token Economy 1: Selecting Backup Reinforcers
Select the least intrusive reinforcers you can get away with
Select reinforcers that are interesting to the clients
Have a variety of reinforcers available
Include occasional bonus or surprise reinforcers
Periodically change the backup reinforcers to prevent satiation

6. Setting Up a Token Economy 2: Selecting Tokens: Characteristics
They should be available in large amounts
They should be durable
They should be interesting and attractive
They should be dispensible without intruding into or distracting from ongoing activities
They should not be reproducible or available other than through the program
They should be difficult to steal or extort from each other

7. Setting Up a Token Economy 3: Types of Tokens to Consider
Tangibles (e.g., buttons, poker chips, counters, washers, stars, paper clips, play money, marbles) Preferably, use soft tokens if noise may be a problem Use a receptacle to hold tokens
Symbolic tokens (e.g., checkmarks, points, happy faces, stamps, stickers, etc.

8. Example of Token Economy System

9. Example of Token Economy System

10. Example of Token Economy System

11. Setting Up a Token Economy 4: Setting Prices for Backup Reinforcers
Use law of supply and demand
Consider therapeutic value of the behavior
Have a variety of prices
Set prices before dispensing tokens
Initially, set prices so that everyone has the opportunity to purchase backup reinforcers
Let clients know in advance what the prices of the backup reinforcers will be
After the first exchange or two, do not announce prices until exchange time
Change prices after each exchange

12. Setting Up a Token Economy 5: Identifying Target Behaviors
Target behaviors should be specific and precise
Target behaviors should be observable and measurable
Target behaviors should readily transfer to the real world

13. Setting Up token Economies 6: Establishing Rules
Rules should be stated positively and emphasize productivity and achievement
Rules should be understood and remembered by all clients in the program
Keep the list of rules relatively short
Allow clients to help in establishing the rules
Incorporate procedures for changing rules and for arbitration of rule disputes

14. Setting Up a Token Economy 7: Keeping Records
Program effectiveness is greatly enhanced by accurate and complete record keeping
Continuous records should be kept concerning The occurrence or nonoccurrence of target behaviors The time and number of tokens delivered to each student The time and frequency of token exchanges

15. Running the Token Economy 1: Getting Started
Sampling the backup reinforcers Demonstrate the reinforcers, allowing clients to sample them Make the reinforcers appealing to the clients (sell them)
Establishing the value of the tokens
The 1st day, give each client a token for doing something appropriate immediately, explaining how to earn them and what they can be exchanged for

16. Running the Token Economy 2: Beginning the Program and Dispensing the Tokens
Initially, dispense tokens often, gradually decreasing the no. after a few days
Dispense tokens immediately and quickly
Always mention the client’s name and the behavior that is being reinforced
Dispense tokens quietly and unobtrusively so as not to focus attention on them
Don’t mention tokens when dispensing

17. Running the Token Economy 3: Token Exchange Times
Initially, have frequent exchanges
Exchange times should become less and less frequent
The next exchange time should be announced in advance
Set a limit on how many tokens a client may accumulate or carry over from one exchange time to another, perhaps by losing all unspent tokens

18. Phasing Out the Token Economy 1: Naturalizing the Program (Weaning)
Introduce and gradually increase delays in the delivery of reinforcement
Make dispensing of tokens increasingly random and intermittent
Gradually switch from token reinforcement to more natural reinforcers
Make the tokens increasingly less valuable to the clients

19. Phasing Out the Token Economy 2: “Earning Off” the System
Clients maintaining a specified standard of appropriate behavior should be allowed to get off the token system
Clients earning a predetermined minimum no. of daily tokens should be given special bonus “earn off” points
Clients need to be motivated to “earn off” Give bonus prizes to “graduates” Give graduates noncontingent access to backup reinforcers Give graduates special privileges

20. Phasing Out the Token Economy 3: Transferring Control to Clients
Control of the program can gradually be transferred to the clients
Clients should be given increasingly greater responsibility for: deciding which behaviors need changing how many tokens it should earn determining when the behavior occurs dispensing the tokens upon completion of the target behaviors exchanging tokens for the backup

21. Using Punishment in a Token Economy 1: Response Cost
Remove a previously determined number of tokens or points for previously identified unacceptable behavior
If a client resists, penalize additional points
Include rule violations as part of the backup menu (must pay for misbehavior)
Do not overpenalize or tokens may lose their value and client’s motivation to perform may be reduced
Reserve penalties for the worst offenses

22. Using Punishment in Token Economy 2: Timeout
Response cost is the preferred form of punishment
Use timeout from token spending if response cost does not work in which a specific time period is designated when a student may not exchange earned tokens
Use timeout from the opportunity to earn tokens

23. Problems in Token Economies I: Client-Related Problems
Hassles, arguments, and complaints: clients may attempt to get unearned tokens or backup reinforcers for which they have insufficient tokens
Hoarding (failure to exchange tokens)
Counterfeiting, theft, and extortion which may result from insufficient monitoring of token administration
Unresponsive clients

24. Fixing Problems in Token Economies 1: Hassles, Arguments, Complaints & Hoarding
Avoid hassles, arguments, complaints, attempts at bargaining by ignoring them
Ignore any mention of tokens except at exchange times
If the problem persists, impose a penalty
For hoarding, following token exchange, clients should lose all unspent tokens

25. Fixing Problems in Token Economies 2: Unresponsive Clients
Do not require unresponsive clients to participate for about a week
After about a week, prime them by giving them a “free” day in which noncontingent tokens are given which can be exchanged for backup reinforcers
The next day, make it easy for them to earn tokens, gradually increasing requirements

26. Fixing Problems in Token Economies 3: Counterfeiting, Theft, and Extortion
Individualize and customize the tokens so that they are identifiable as belonging to a particular client and cannot be reproduced
Keep duplicate records of number of tokens earned by each client
Punish these offenses with response cost or timeout

27. Problems in Token Economies II: Administrator-Related Problems
Using tokens as bribes or threats which focus undue attention on the tokens and causes clients to become overly dependent on the tokens and develops a mercenary attitude on the part of clients
Feeling sorry for clients who are short of tokens

28. Fixing Problems in Token Economies 4: Presenting Noncontingent Tokens
Do not extend charity or loans as these destroy the contingent relationship between behavior and reinforcer
If a client is continually short of tokens something is wrong with the program
Too much may be expected of the client
The client may be excessively ignored

29. Problems in Token Economies III: System-Related Problems
Token inflation (gradual increase in prices of backup reinforcers) due to clients earning too many tokens (too lenient?)
Token depression (gradual decrease in prices of back reinforcers) due to clients earning too few tokens (too strict?)
Confusion possibly due to the program being too complex

30. Fixing Problems in Token Economies 4: Token Inflation, Deflation, Confusion
Adjust contingencies so students are not earning too many or too few tokens by making contingencies stricter or more lenient, as appropriate
Make sure that a reasonable number of tokens is being earned
Confusion is to be expected initially but if the problem does not work itself out in a few days, institute a simpler program