The study aimed to investigate the effects of justifications to follow instructions on the
behavior of following instructions that produced loss of reinforcers. Twenty children
aged between seven and nine were exposed to a procedure of choice modeled, and
assigned to four experimental conditions that differed in the type of justification used
and the phase at which it was presented. The task was to touch one of two comparison
stimuli in the presence of a contextual stimulus. Were used as reinforcers tokens
exchangeable for toys. In Conditions 1 and 2 were the justifications promises of
reinforcement magnitude larger (buy favorite toys, if the statement was then) and in
Conditions 3 and 4, were promises of reinforcement magnitude smaller (less preferred
buy toys, if the statement was not followed). In Phases 1, 3 and 5, all conditions were
given instructions corresponding to the contingencies of reinforcement and behavior
programmed to follow them was consequenciado to earn token. In Phases 2 and 4, all
conditions, no changes occurred in the contingencies of reinforcement signaled
programmed, and maintenance of behavior to follow instructions was consequenciado
with loss token. The results showed that all participants of the four conditions followed
the instructions given in the corresponding Phases 1, 3 and 5. They also showed that 17
of the 20 participants failed to follow instructions when this behavior started producing
token loss in Phases 2 and 4. The results of these 17 participants indicate that control by
immediate consequences prevailed over control by presenting justifications for
maintaining the following instructions. Three participants followed instructions that
produced loss of token in Phases 2 and 4. These results, however, suggest that exposure
to justifications containing reinforcing promises higher and lower magnitude if the next
instruction is abandoned or maintained, respectively, may also contribute to keep the
follow instructions even if this behavior pass to produce loss reinforcers.
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