The Effects of Feedback and Positive Reinforcement on the Wepman Auditory Discrimination Test Scores of Lower-Class Negro and White Children

Abstract

Twenty-four Negro and 21 white lower-class children, 8 to 9 years old, received the Wepman Auditory Discrimination Test in two forms. The experimental group of 10 whites and 12 Negroes received special feedback and reinforcement, while the control group of 11 whites and 12 Negroes simply received a second trial. The special instructions and feedback improved the discrimination scores of the Negro experimental subjects only. No change was observed in the control group subjects who received an unadorned second trial.