Question

A kindergarten classroom is interested in improving the ability of their students to share toys. For one week, the teachers track if there is any sharing behaviors that occur during free play time in the classroom. The teachers then select one student, Mary, and give social and verbal praise specific to any sharing that Mary does. The second week, the teachers continue to praise Mary and start praising Joseph. The third week, they praise Mary, Joseph, and June. By the fourth week, the data shows that all the students have increased their sharing behaviors.

What type of research design is this? Does the intervention appear to be effective? Why or why not?

Answer 1

It is a kind of experimental research design . Independent variable( IV) i.e. verbal and social praise is manipulated to increase the sharing behavior i.e. dependent variable( DV ). There ia complete control over IV and randomisation is also done by selecting one student each time.

Intervention certainly looks effective in improving the sharing behavior . Just by praising sharing behavior of some student , a postive atmosphere is created where every other children learns the same by Observation learning and getting vicarious reinforcement when same behavior is encouraged in those who are selected for praise.