This study investigated the effects of instructional cues on varied and stereotyped play responses of one typically developing 5-year-old child. Responses were observed across four sets of play materials: blocks, DUPLO® blocks, markers and paints. Training included praise contingent upon forms consistent with the instruction. Two instructions were each trained with corresponding instruction signs, "Try something different" (on blue paper) and "Do the same thing" (on yellow paper) for block and DUPLO block forms. Results show differentiated novel responding during the experimental phase. The same differential effect in marker forms occurred in the sign alone phase. When the sign plus instruction was introduced for painting sessions, novel forms in the same condition discontinued and began to occur in the different condition. These findings suggest stimulus control of behavioral variation and behavioral consistency. The implications for both science and society are discussed.

Skinner (1957) suggested that different verbal operants are acquired independently of each other and establishing a verbal operant as a mand will not necessarily result in the appearance of a tact having the same response form and vice versa. Recent empirical research has found that newly acquired mands and tacts can be transferred to different relations without direct training. The present study investigated 1) how verbal responses taught as pure mands affect untrained tact relations; 2) how verbal responses taught as pure tacts affect untrained mand relations; 3) how the size of mand and tact repertoires relate to speed of acquisition of new mands and tacts; and 4) how size of entering repertoires affect the transfer of mand topographies to tacts and vice versa. Two vocal-verbal children with autism were taught three novel responses as mands and three other responses as tacts. Mand topographies transferred to tact relations and tact topographies transferred to mand relations for both participants. Overall acquisition as well as transfer of mands and tacts was faster for the participant with a higher entering repertoire.

With soaring unemployment rates coupled with stifled growth and rising inequality, the economic outlook in South Africa is disheartening. Entrepreneurial activity is viewed as a catalyst of economic development, and as such, government and policy makers should be creating an environment in which the determinants of entrepreneurship can be fostered. Entrepreneurial intention has been shown to be a leading indicator of future entrepreneurial activity. With an understanding of the links between entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial activity, and economic growth, it is clear that the South African economy faces a challenge; not only is economic development slow, but levels of entrepreneurial intention are low. This research paper planned to study the significance of the Theory of Planned Behaviour through structural equation modelling, as a predictor of entrepreneurial intention within a sample that has previously received little attention, and is commonly known to produce numerous entrepreneurs including high impact entrepreneurs; the South African Jewish Community. The results illustrate that the Theory of Planned Behaviour was a sound model with the sample data; however the Theory of Planned Behaviour did not provide a significant prediction of entrepreneurial intention within the South African Jewish Community. Further analysis discovered that within the Jewish Community of South Africa, perceived behavioural control provided powerful predictive strength of entrepreneurial intention. Attitude toward the behaviour and subjective norms provided insignificant predictive strength of entrepreneurial intention. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

The current evaluation assessed the effectiveness of an intensive toilet training procedure for three young boys with autism. The evaluation extended the work of LeBlanc et al. (2005) by assessing parents’ preference to include the usage of urine alarm and positive practice. In addition, we collected descriptor data on challenging behaviors. All three parent participants’ elected not to use the urine alarm and one parent elected to discontinue the implementation of positive practice techniques. Researchers chose a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of the intervention. All three child participants’ increased successful self-initiations for the toilet and decreased accidents across home and clinic settings. Findings suggest that clinicians should partner with parents to develop individualized toileting interventions that are acceptable and effective.

We manipulated delay and magnitude of reinforcers in two concurrent schedules of reinforcement to decrease a prevalent behavior while increasing another behavior already in the participant's repertoire. The first experiment manipulated delay, implementing a five second delay between the behavior and delivery of reinforcement for a behavior targeted for decrease while no delay was implemented after the behavior targeted for increase. The second experiment manipulated magnitude, providing one piece of food for the behavior targeted for decrease while two pieces of food were provided for the behavior targeted for increase. The experiments used an ABAB reversal design. Results suggest that behavior can be decreased without the use of extinction when contingencies favor the desirable behavior.

Paraprofessionals (i.e., paid school employees working under the supervision of licensed and certified personnel) are being given expanded roles and responsibilities in schools. Unfortunately, many paraprofessionals in the United States are not well trained and are asked to take on responsibilities they have not been prepared for. One of those responsibilities is managing student behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate paraprofessionals' self-reported behavior management practices. Using a survey, we collected information concerning paraprofessionals' feelings of confidence in managing problem behavior, techniques to manage problem behavior, feelings concerning their behavior management training, and their views on certain problem behaviors. A total of 191 paraprofessionals completed some or all of the survey. The participants reported high levels of confidence in managing problem behaviors as well as high training needs. Findings suggest that paraprofessionals encounter low-intensity behaviors (i.e., off-task, passive noncompliance, and disruptive) more frequently and high-intensity behaviors (i.e., verbal and physical aggression) less frequently. Low-intensity behaviors also tend to be less difficult to manage and less problematic in the classroom, whereas the high-intensity behaviors were rated more difficult to manage and more problematic. Paraprofessionals' preferred behavior management strategy for the majority of behaviors encountered was reported to be verbal reprimand. Additional research and training regarding effective behavior management practices for paraprofessionals is supported by the results of this study.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of teaching parents behavior modification in order to manage and prevent child-related problems. The present study investigated a preventive parent training program using a multiple baseline design by teaching expectant parents behavior modification principles and applications. Three expectant mothers received individualized home training and "hands-on" training at a nursery school. Each expectant mother also received videotaped feedback on instructions and differential attention and praise she provided to a pre-selected child-participant while at the nursery school. After training began, the expectant mothers increased their us~ of praise to the child's cooperative behavior and their use of statements of a contingency and two behavior reduction procedures when the child was behaving oppositionally, The results indicate that expectant parents can successfully be taught effective child management skills before they have their children.

Research has shown that well-trained staff within early and intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) provide more effective treatment. An important part of training is learning the vocabulary and concepts of treatment. This aids in conceptual understanding of the principles and procedures. The process of learning behavioral concepts also develops the necessary verbal repertoire needed to communicate among members of a community of practice; a group of people who have common reinforcers and are working toward a common goal. Learning to tact a series of sequential descriptions, or verbally narrate, exemplary teaching interactions should be a goal when teaching behavior analysis because it is how we, as a community, interact and establish an understanding of behavior analysis. The purpose of the current study is to train novice behavior analysts to narrate exemplary intervention sequences that are responsive, flexible, and effective teaching interactions. The effects of the training were evaluated using a multiple baseline design across training conditions, replicated across 3 participants. The results suggest that the training was effective in increasing the number of narrative statements as well as the number of narrative statements related to five critical features of a teaching interaction and the relations between those features. The results are discussed in the context of future research directions, including studies of correspondence between verbal behavior and teaching interaction performance.

A thesis submitted in partial fullfillment of the requirements for the degree, Doctor of Philosophy in community psychology at the University of Zululand, 2005. / Behaviour problems in class rooms are an old story that has and will continue to bother teachers for many years. In some cases children and adolescents with severe behaviour disorders are admitted in schools of industry. Schools of industry offer different support programmes but none of these look at physical exercise as a strategy to enhance psychological well being. This research was aimed at exploring the impact of physical exercise on the psychological well being of adolescents with behaviour disorders. Sixty adolescents from two schools of industry were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. Both groups were pre and post tested on behaviour, feelings about the self, physical self perception and wellness scales. A physical exercise programme was administered to an experimental group. Quantitative results reveal that adolescents who were exposed to the physical exercise programme showed general improvements in behaviour, feelings about the self, physical self-perception and wellness. Qualitative results indicated a decrease in smoking habits, absenteeism, aggression and cases of absconding. In the light of the above findings it can be deduced that physical exercise brought about enhanced self-esteem, self confidence, healthy interactions and social harmony among the adolescents. These attributes contribute positively to the psychological well being of an individual. This research does provide for the relative influence of physical exercise on the psychological well being of adolescents with behaviour disorders.

This study compared the results of two methods of behavioral treatment in combination with a very-low-calorie-diet in the treatment of obesity. Subjects were 28 male and 106 female patients admitted to the medically supervised fasting program at Risk Factor Clinic in Portland, Oregon. Subjects were matched by gender, percent over ideal body weight, and age. Subject group I received a smorgasbord of behavioral techniques from various group leaders in a 60-minute weekly session. Presentation was didactic and theoretical and subjects were accountable to themselves for utilization of the techniques. Subject group II participated in 90-minute weekly sessions with a primary leader facilitating a problem solving and educational session in which patients were continually encouraged to participate. Subjects set goals and made weekly commitments to facilitate skill acquisition and behavior change. The leader collected data from patients each week on program compliance and physical activity.