A Detailed Look at the Premack Principle

The Premack Principle, sometimes known as “grandma’s rule” is a theory of reinforcement that states someone is more likely to engage with a less-preferred activity if it is followed by a more-preferred activity. It is a ubiquitous and common-sense intervention utilized in all behavioral clinics and households alike. It is often utilized in clinical settings through the use of “First-Then” language where a clinician may say something like “first clean up these toys, then we can choose another toy to play with.” In household settings it may sound more like “finish your homework, then you can go play outside with your friends.” The principle remains the same in that the more-preferred activity follows the less-preferred activity. In this way the completion of the less-preferred activity is reinforced (made more likely to occur again) because completing it results in something preferred occurring. It is a simple intervention, however, it is not simplistic in its implications or utility. A deeper dive into the Premack principle provides us with a richer understanding of human behavior, particularly in the ways we experience motivation.

If the Premack principle states that a less-preferred activity is more likely to be engaged with when followed by a more-preferred activity, then the converse of the Premack principle is also true. This means that if a more-preferred activity is scheduled before a less-preferred activity, the likelihood for the less-preferred activity to be engaged with lowers drastically. For example, if a student is playing outside with their friends and having fun, what would motivate them to stop what they are doing and engage with something that is less fun, such as doing their homework? They may understand that not doing their homework could result in negative consequences for themselves via being reprimanded by their parents, earning a poor grade (leading to more reprimand), etc., however, this usually is not tactile or connected enough to the present moment to be an effective motivator for most children. Additionally, these motivators (fear of reprimand, poor grades, etc.) are negatively reinforcing, meaning, the only reason the student would do it is to prevent something from happening— in this case, being reprimanded. This is an important factor to consider when trying to help motivate someone in that it shows how activity “chains” should always begin with a less-preferred activity so that that less-preferred activity can be reinforced with a more-preferred activity. If done the other way around where the more-preferred activity is placed first, the learner does not experience this “payoff” and power struggles between the caregiver and the child may emerge.

Applied more generally, this is why completing a less-preferred task first thing in the morning, such as making the bed, can be effective in increasing one’s productivity, motivation and sense of fulfillment throughout the day. The daily “chain” of activities begins with a less-preferred (but meaningful and positive) activity and can be followed with a more-reinforcing “payoff” activity, like making coffee. Once this is established, the transition from the more-reinforcing activity, in this case making coffee, to the next less-preferred activity, such as doing the dishes, is more likely to occur because our bodies are already anticipating the next “payoff” activity that may be coming after the dishes are done, the same way it experienced “payoff” after making the bed via drinking coffee. When applied effectively and consistently over time, the Premack principle can be a transformational intervention that helps avoid power struggles by creating the environmental parameters necessary in establishing a durable and sustainable level of motivation needed to engage with activities that aren’t always fun, exciting, or immediately enjoyable but that are necessary for effective daily functioning. 

Reference: Herrod JL, Snyder SK, Hart JB, Frantz SJ, Ayres KM. Applications of the

Premack Principle: A Review of the Literature. Behav Modif. 2023 Jan;47(1):219-246.

Nicholas Lee, Behavior Specialist, Miren Behavior