Token Economy Programmes
- Created by: sarah_mocha
- Created on: 03-04-16 15:41
View mindmap
- Token Economy Programmes (TEPs)
- used in prisons to encourage pro-social behaviour
- based on operant conditioning principles
- a rewards system is imposed which can be gained if a desired behaviour is performed
- prison management draws up a list of appropriate behaviours and offenders can earn tokens
- rewards must be negotiated with the offender; rewards are only effective if they're wanted
- viewed as a way of controlling behaviour rather than as a solution
- provides a legitimate way of gaining access to privileges
- Evaluation
- Pearson et al: meta-analysis on anger management and TEPs, found AM helped reduce recidivism but TEPs didn't work
- gives prisoners a sense of control over their behaviour and rewards earned
- TEPs can lead to learned helplessness
- questionable as to whether they violate human rights. they are at least patronising to adults
- success could just be due to improved prisoner-staff relationships and more attention from staff
- learnt behaviour may not generalise to the outside world. society's rewards are subtler and less frequent than tokens
Comments
No comments have yet been made