The development of peer influence effects in dyads.

Abstract

This study attempted to extend previous research on cosnplex cooperatiofl procedures in order to investigate conditions under which one subject’s re­inforcement outcomes will affect both bis aM partner’s response choices. The complex cooperation procedures deviated from those of previous studies by 1) increasing the alternatives to include individual, exchange, and cooperative response options, 2) measuring feedback responses to point scores (audits> tabulated on each mode counter, and 3) manipulating response requirefllents for social or nonsocial modes for only one dyad member, thereby allowing for the study of peer influence effects. Peer inluence cEfeas were defined when partner’s response choices were a function of subject’s reinforcement contlfl­gencies. The tnanipulation were fixed ratios of 2, 4, 8, or 15 for a single dyad member’s nonsocial or social mode during conditions when both subjects had options to work for self, stop partner from working for self, work for partfler~ and/or work with partner. The effects of these manipulation were 1) task response variations for both members in accordance with the focal subject’s FR schedules, 2) feedback response variations for both members which co­rresponded to these task response changes, and 3) response switches from one social to the other social mode (for one dyad), from a social to nonsocial mode (for one dyad), and frorn the nonsocial to a social mode (for six dyads).