a type of psychotherapy in which the inmates of an institution are rewarded for good behaviour with tokens that can be exchanged for privileges
token economy in American English
noun
Psychiatry
a method of encouraging desirable behavior, esp. in a hospital setting, by offering rewards of token money that can be exchanged for special food, access to television, and other bonuses
Word origin
[1965–70]This word is first recorded in the period 1965–70. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Finlandization, isometric exercise, no-fault, overdub, stun gun
Examples of 'token economy' in a sentence
token economy
I don't want to see any green vouchers that act like a token economy system for the sane.