Token economies

• Token economies is seen as a way of managing schizophrenia not treating it
• Token economy system is based on principles of operant conditioning, was developed as a way of dealing with the negative symptoms and encouraging more positive behaviours
• The behavioural principles employed in token economy systems are based on the principle of positive reinforcement
• Two types of reinforcers:

  • Primary reinforcers - anything that gives pleasure or removes unpleasant states. They do not depend on learning to acquire their reinforcing value
  • Secondary reinforcers - initially have no value to individual but acquire their reinforcing properties as a result of being paired with primary reinforcers.