The effects of different schedules of noncontingent reward on subsequent learning in children were investigated. In the first phase of the experiment subjects performed a block-design matching task and received one of three schedules of noncontingent reward, i.e., continuous reward (Group CRF), random reward on 50% of the trials (Group 50R), or no reward (Group NRF) regardless of their response. Two additional control groups received either contingent reward when they correctly matched a design (Group CON) or no pretreatment prior to testing (Group NPT). In the second phase of the experiment all subjects performed a pencil maze completion task under identical schedules of contingent reward. The results from the second phase indicated that groups CRF, 50R and NRF exhibited equal performance which was poorer than that of groups CON and NPT. These results suggest that experience with noncontingent reward can produce response decrements in humans and that noncontingency, rather than any specific reinforcement schedule, is the critical factor in producing learned helplessness. (Author)