Question

A teacher uses a group contingency with her students. She states the following rule: "If everyone gets 100% in their spelling test this week, I will turn cartwheels down the hall for you." What type of group contingency is this?

Answer 1

This is an example of a dependent group contingency, where the outcome for the entire group depends on the behavior or performance of one or a few individuals. It can promote cooperation and peer support but may also have drawbacks.

Step-by-step explanation:

This is an example of a group contingency known as a dependent group contingency. In a dependent group contingency, the outcome for the entire group is contingent on the behavior or performance of one or a few individuals. In this case, the teacher stated that if everyone gets 100% in their spelling test, she will turn cartwheels down the hall for the students. This means that the desired behavior (getting 100% on the spelling test) is dependent on the entire group. If one student fails to get 100%, the entire group does not receive the reward. This type of group contingency can be effective in promoting cooperation and peer support within the group. Students may feel motivated to help and encourage each other to succeed in order to earn the reward. However, as you mentioned, this type of contingency may also have some drawbacks. Some students may feel discouraged if they perceive that their success or failure depends on others, and the highest-performing students may feel frustrated if they believe their efforts are not being recognized individually.