Ayllon T, Garber S, Pisor K
J Appl Behav Anal. 1976 Fall;9(3):247-52. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1976.9-247.
A common assumption in special education is that temporal limits for a task should be expanded so that ample time is provided for completing the work. This study describes the opposite strategy of restricting temporal limits to augment academic performance. Three educable retarded children received token reinforcement contingent on the number of correct math problems answered during daily sessions. A reversal design was used to assess the effects of an abrupt reduction in time limits (20-5-20 min) and a graduated sequence of reductions (20-15-10-5-20 min). The graduated sequence resulted in rate increases of correct responding ranging from 125% to 266% and these gains endured when temporal limits were again expanded. In contrast, the abrupt shift produced interfering emotional behaviors and rate decreases in academic performance of 25% to 80%. The findings indicate that systematically restricting temporal limits for an academic task can further enhance the performance of slow learners already maintained by a token system.
特殊教育中的一个常见假设是，应延长任务的时间限制，以便为完成工作提供充足的时间。本研究描述了限制时间限制以提高学业成绩的相反策略。三名可教育的智障儿童在日常课程中根据正确回答的数学问题数量获得代币强化。采用反转设计来评估时间限制突然减少（20 - 5 - 20分钟）和逐步减少序列（20 - 15 - 10 - 5 - 20分钟）的效果。逐步减少序列导致正确反应率提高了125%至266%，并且当时间限制再次延长时，这些提高得以持续。相比之下，突然转变产生了干扰性的情绪行为，学业成绩下降了25%至80%。研究结果表明，系统地限制学术任务的时间限制可以进一步提高已经通过代币系统维持的学习较慢者的表现。
