Acquiring habits, eliminating certain behaviours or generating changes in the way of acting… Sometimes modifying one’s own or another’s behaviour can be complicated , especially in children.

Fortunately, psychology and other disciplines have worked from different theoretical technical currents that allow people to introduce changes in their way of behaving. One of the techniques used for this purpose is the token economy .

Token Economy: A method of behavior modification

The token economy is one of the techniques for modifying behavior, which aims to produce a change in the behavior of the subject to be treated or to implement or to vanish concrete behaviors. These types of techniques are based on the belief that behaviour can be modified by learning new actions, and are widely used to educate or intervene in disorders .

The technique of token economy is based on the concept of the strengthening of the operating conditioning of B. F. Skinner. This theory indicates that the fact of emitting or not emitting a behavior depends on the consequences of said action that are perceived . If these consequences are positive, we will tend to repeat the behaviour when more reinforcement is expected, while if they are negative, we will decrease its frequency or eliminate the behaviour from our repertoire.

How do you use it?

The procedure to be used in this technique is based on exchange. The emission of the target behaviour will be rewarded with a generalised enhancer in the form of tokens , which can later be exchanged for enhancers that are desirable for the subject. The performance of the behaviour is controlled by some kind of recording system. The tokens themselves are a neutral stimulus, with no value for the subject until he knows his link with the obtaining of reinforcers.

It must be taken into account that this technique is very useful to modify behaviours already present in the subject’s repertoire, to implement new behaviours or to vanish behaviours by rewarding incompatible actions , or by removing previously delivered cards.

However, the economy of tokens is only useful if we want to introduce modifications in a few specific behaviours, or otherwise that the modifications are made very gradually and negotiating in advance with the child or patient the progress to be made.

Phases of the procedure

Card economy is a technique that is easy to apply, but which requires a series of steps to be followed in order to be applied correctly. Specifically, we can find three differentiated phases, although sometimes they are considered to be reducible to a phase of implementation of the program and another of disappearance of the program.

1. Program establishment phase

The first step to be able to apply this technique is to explain and establish together with the individual to treat the procedure that is going to be carried out.

For this technique to be effective the subject must be able to understand the concept of a card, and what it is for . The cards that are going to be used are shown and the person is helped to understand that these elements are going to be used as interchangeable objects by certain reinforcers.

Thus, we make the card something desirable in itself and awaken the desire to obtain it. If necessary it can be exemplified by giving the individual cards so that he can exchange them for some element that can be effective as a booster, showing the basic functioning and meaning of these interchangeable symbols. This procedure could be considered as a subphase, the sampling of the card as a booster.

The subject is then told that he will get a certain number of tokens for each time he performs a behavior, or if he has performed or avoided a particular behavior for a certain period of time.

It is also specified whether there is any cost for doing the opposite of what is intended. In addition, the reinforcers to be obtained are agreed with the cards and the value of each one is established, conditioning its obtaining to the accomplishment or not of certain conducts.

Finally, a system is established and developed with which to record the person’s actions over time.

2. Starting the program

Once it is established what is to be done, the time comes to put it into practice. The child’s, student’s or patient’s performance is followed , giving him/her cards (or taking them away in the case of prohibited behaviours, depending on whether or not the response cost applies) as the behaviour is recorded.

It is recommended that at least at the beginning each behavior issued is rewarded immediately, so that the operation of the system is fixed, although over time the rewards will be postponed. It is also recommended that of the possible reinforcers only a few are available, so that the desire of those not yet available allows the behaviour to be maintained over time.

3. Completion phase

In the last phase, which will close the program, a “dismantling” of the token economy system will be carried out until its completion.

As the subject increases his mastery and practice in the target behavior, the number of tokens required to achieve the reinforcers gradually begins to increase, while the tokens earned for each behavior performed are reduced, the requirements for obtaining the tokens are hardened and/or the period of time they take to be delivered is increased.

Over time, the program itself ceases to apply, with the subject already having established the behavior. However, the changes must be informed to the individual , so that there is no rejection and reaction of elimination of the sought-after behaviour or an intensification of the one that was intended to be reduced.

Areas of application

The token economy technique can be used both individually and collectively , but it will always be necessary to adjust and agree both the behaviours to be executed and the reinforcers that can be achieved according to the needs of the individuals or group. It can be used to level and standardize a given environment, allowing its reorganization.

The token economy has a large number of areas of application. It was initially used to motivate patients with mental disorders to act in a more competent and adaptive manner. In the clinic setting, therefore, it can be used to teach patients with disorders how to combat their symptoms through behavioural change.

It can also serve in the educational field, where it is in fact frequently used, especially in primary schools, or directly in homes as a tool for educating children. Used in schools, it allows schools to strive to act in a way that achieves the booster, helping to improve behaviour . But it is not only applied at school or at the clinic, but it can also be used at a particular level to achieve a change in habits.

Bibliographic references:

  • Almond tree, M.T. (2012). Psychotherapies. Manual CEDE de Preparación PIR, 06.
  • Jury López, R.L (2009). Techniques for the reduction and/or restoration of behavior. Innovation and educational experiences.
  • Oblitas, L.A. (2004). “How to make psychotherapy successful?” The 22 most important approaches in contemporary and avant-garde psychotherapeutic practice. PSICOM Publishers. Bogotá D.C. Colombia. P. 146.