Increasing Litter Depositing Through the Use of Positive Conditioned Reinforcement

Jeff Corey
Charles D. Hamad

---

DOI: 10.2190/6BV9-EFK6-UHT1-MMN9

Abstract

When a card saying "Thank You for Disposing of Your Trash" was given contingent upon tray returns in a college cafeteria, tray returns increased above baseline (90% from 68%). Reversal of the contingency resulted in a drop in returns (74%) while reinstatement of the contingency increased the rate (88%). Replacement of the persons who handed out the cards with a sign saying "Thank You for Disposing of Your Trash" and ad lib. "Thank You" cards resulted in an intermediate rate of returns (80%).

---

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.