Um estudo sobre variáveis sociais em situação de autocontrole

Abstract

Social variables are highlighted as a critical point for the acquisition of a self-control repertoire. The present study had nineteen children from ages of six to seven years old, of both genders. Seven of them participated in the first phase, called Evaluation of Instruction Understanding, in which the instructions were tested with children with the same age range, with the objective of guaranteeing the instruction given in the next phase. The initial instructions were altered based in the first procedure. In the second phase, called data collection, the children were submitted to a classical self-control experiment, following the model of gratification delay, with 15 minutes of waiting time. Bis® chocolates were used as reinforcers. Twelve children participated in couple conditions, following individual ones. They were distributed into three experimental groups, that had different variables in the couple condition; two pairs participated in each one. The groups were: 1) individual decision, consequence for the pair; 2) individual decision, individual consequence; 3) pair decision, individual consequence. The relevant responses for the study were registered and categorized. The results suggest that the final instruction was functional, hence none of the children didn´t become participant because they did not reproduce the instruction. Bis® became a social reinforcer, aggregating value to the chocolate by the social reinforcement of the other participants. Of the twelve participants of the second phase, only two gave up on the total waiting time and interrupted the experiment both in the couple as in the individual condition