Describe 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages involved in the use of a token economy

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The advantages of a token economy are that:
Tokens can be used to reinforce the target behavior immediately after it occurs
A token economy is highly structured, therefore, desirable target behaviors are often reinforced on a more consistent basis
Tokens are generalized conditioned reinforcers because they are paired with a variety of other reinforcers
Tokens are easy to dispense and easy for the recipients to accumulate
Token reinforcement can be quantified easily and, thus, different behaviors can receive a greater or lesser magnitude of reinforcement
Response cost is easier to implement in a token economy because the recipient has accumulated token that may be removed contingent on the occurrence of the problem behavior
The recipient can learn the skills involved in planning for the future by saving tokens for larger purchases.
The disadvantages involve the use of a token economy include the time and effort involved in organizing and conducting the program and the cost of purchasing the backup reinforcers. Staff training and management are also issues, especially when the token economy has complex components or when it is conducted on a large scale.