Informal Methods for Training Peers to be Socially Reinforcing (Footnote 3; page 232)

Environments rich in social reinforcement may not only strengthen desired behaviors but also may enhance individuals’ “self-esteem” (i.e., their overt or covert self-evaluative comments). As a result, many have directed their efforts toward devising ways to promote delivery of lots of social reinforcement. One is to introduce activities that encourage peers to compliment each other’s achievements. Several of these are described below:

A Social Reinforcement Program for Business and Service Organizational Managers

In a workshop for business and service organizational managers (Aubrey Daniels & Associates) that one of us attended, participants selected distinctive stickers, such as a frog, a star, and so on (to allow them to remain anonymous if they wished), and received a pad of forms on which they could indicate how any of the other members in the group helped them. A posted chart listed the name of each participant. When participants detected an action worthy of appreciation, they filled out the form, citing the pertinent action, and delivered it to the relevant individual. Typical comments included: · “I found your case example about the incentive system intriguing. I’m thinking about trying it.” · “1 never realized that quality assurance could be treated that way. Thanks for the · idea.” · “By explaining the concept of a discriminative stimulus, you taught me why antecedent events work the way they do.”

At the same time, the commenter placed his or her distinctive sticker on the chart next to the name of the recipient. In this way, the chart displayed episodes of participants’ praiseworthy acts and the number of compliments delivered by the holders of each distinctive sticker. Trainees selected a series of goals for the total number of stickers to be displayed by a given date, and they set a reward they would earn when the goal was met, (e.g having the workshop coordinator confess his middle name, schedule an outing, or host dinner out.) Not only were goals met and exceeded, but adults who had rarely noted and/ or conveyed positive recognition began frequently to generate very specific praise statements. In many cases the experience enabled trainees to apply this new, heavily practiced and reinforced skill to their home organizations with relative ease.

Social Reinforcement Programs for Staff Members or Managers

Reinforcement Bombardment. Reinforcement bombardment has been used to teach staff or management to increase their use of praise. In a group of six or fewer people, each member talks for about 2 minutes on a topic about which he or she is excited, such as a student’s or an employee’s recent success. Meanwhile, the other group members record commendable aspects of the content and style of the presentation, conveying their observations to each speaker at the end of the talk.

A “Warm Fuzzy” or “Thank You Board” located in a central location, such as a lounge or break area, serves a similar purpose (see below).

______Insert Figure from p. 197 of first edition ______

School-Based Social Reinforcement Programs (Variations of these basic ideas can succeed with adults as well.)

The programs described below originated many years ago and are still being actively implemented in schools because of their value in promoting reinforcing environments.

Fuzzy-Gram and Compliment Meter. ….On the bulletin boards of several schools in the Fountain Valley School District are the words: “Send a fuzzy-gram to a friend,” [A fuzzy-gram is shown below.] Fuzzy-grams are contained in a pocket on the bulletin board and members of the class may use them on which to write a positive note to someone in the class. Students are instructed that their messages should be positive and make the recipient “feel warm and fuzzy inside.” They may be delivered to the person or put up on the board.

The “compliment meter” is another device that helps children focus on the positive. The meter resembles a thermometer and can he drawn on the chalkboard or be on a chart. Children write compliments to other members of the class on a fuzzy-gram, or on a regular piece of paper, and put them in a gaily decorated box: “I liked the way you helped Jeff,” or, “Your book report was very good.” At the end of each day, the number of compliments are counted and the notes distributed.. The total number is added to the meter. When the class reaches a predetermined goal, they [students] may go on a picnic, have a popcorn party, or have an extra twenty minutes for games or some such treat. If motivating a class is difficult, , the teacher may distribute small rewards in increments along the way to the final goal.

Used with individuals and groups of children, (not to speak of adults on the job) the “compliment meter” can serve as an excellent tool for building “self-esteem.” [An example of the compliment meter also appears below.] – Personal communication from A. Jackson.

______Insert Fuzzy-Gram and Compliment Meter from p. 194 of first edition ______

The Secret Pal Game and Similar Activities. The “Secret Pal Game” (Smith & Mayer, 1978) helps ensure that all children receive compliments. Each week every child in the group draws the name of a secret pal, who he or she is to observe “doing something nice.’’ Children then write a description of their observations on forms, and deposit them in their pal’s envelope. The teacher helps initially by showing the children some illustrative messages and prompting when necessary, so that by the week’s end each child has received at least one message. A compliment meter, showing a weekly count of the messages delivered, supports the activity temporarily, but after several weeks it can continue on its own, sustained only by the natural positive reactions of recipients.

Similar methods have been used successfully by teachers at the upper elementary, middle or junior high, and secondary school levels and by counselors with small groups. Adult staff and supervisors also have used games like these to promote positive feedback within their own peer groups. In one case, the “I-Spy” activity, participants filled out a form similar to that shown below.

______Insert I-Spy Form from p. 196 of First Edition ______

As a fund raising effort at a High School, a service organization sold ‘‘telegrams,” consisting of a carnation plus a personal positive note.

Activities like these are flexible enough to be used in a wide variety of group settings and appear to foster pleasant, cooperative group interactions. Each activity described here and in your text and represents an attempt to harness the powerful reinforcing properties that peers are capable of delivering to one another for their accomplishments..

Smith, E.V., & Mayer, G. R. (1978, September). The secret pal game: Students praising students. The Guidance Clinic. Pp. 3-6.