The Effect of Teacher Approval/ Disapproval Ratios on Student Music Selection and Concert Attentiveness

Abstract

An application of learning theory to the study of music teacher behavior was made in order to obtain evidence regarding student music selection behavior and concert attentiveness as influenced by ratios of teacher approval to disapproval. Seventy-six fourth- and fifth-grade students were pretested and posttested. The number of seconds subjects selected from three sound contingencies (piano music, rock music, and white noise) on an episodic reinforcement device and student off-task concert behaviors were measured. Subjects were taught piano excerpts under teacher high and low approval/disapproval conditions. Approval ratios were controlled by hand signals (approval/disapproval cues) given to the teacher at predetermined time intervals.