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<p> Understanding the variables that maintain reinforcer effectiveness has important implications for basic research to inform applied behavior analysis. The goal of the current study was to investigate the combined effects of rate of reinforcement and variability in duration and delay of reinforcement on within-session changes in operant responding in two experiments. In each experiment, Wistar rats (<i>Rattus norvegicus</i>) lever pressed for liquid sucrose on three fixed interval (FI) schedules of reinforcement. In Experiment 1, subjects lever pressed for liquid sucrose on either a constant or a varied duration of access to reinforcement. In Experiment 2, subjects were exposed to a constant or variable delay of reinforcement. Results showed two fundamental properties of behavior undergoing habituation. First, within-session decreases in responding were steeper (greater habituation) at higher rates of reinforcement than at lower rates. Second, within-session rates of responding declined more slowly (slower habituation) when access to the reinforcer was presented in a variable versus constant manner. Because habituation occurs for both ingestive and noningestive stimuli, the present study adds to the body of literature on habituation and can inform clinical practice on the variables that sustain operant behavior through varying the delivery of the reinforcer.</p>

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether Children to Children's grief-support groups helped young participants cope with their grief, and which elements of the program were most helpful. The population for this study consisted of six bereaved children between the ages of 5 and 18 who were referred by Children to Children. The instrument used in this study was developed specifically to measure grief in children by self-report. Other information-gathering techniques were used to determine children's attributions for change and their view of their families before and after the loved one's death. It was found that the Children to Children grief-support groups were helpful to the participants. Participants cited two components of the program as most helpful: ritual, verbal sharing of the circumstances of the loved one's death, and being with other children who were going through a similar experience.

<p> Mindfulness-based interventions are becoming increasingly popular with clinicians and researchers. While there is a rapidly increasing number of mindfulness-based intervention outcomes reported in scientific journals of medicine and psychology (Burke, 2010; Krasner, 2004), the descriptions and definitions of mindfulness are not entirely consistent across investigators (Brown, Ryan, &amp; Creswell, 2007; Williams, 2010), and do not lend themselves to scientific analysis (Hayes &amp; Shenk, 2004). A behavior-analytic approach to this subject may provide the foundation for a scientific analysis of mindfulness phenomena. For example, Diller and Lattal (2008) suggested that mindful behavior might be shaped by the methods that Ray (1969) used to demonstrate the acquisition of selective attention with rhesus monkeys. Thus, the present investigation replicated the methods used by Ray (1969) with verbally sophisticated human participants and discusses the findings as they relate to a behavior analytic interpretation of mindfulness phenomena.</p>

<p> Non-monogamous partnerships were vulnerable to jealousy and envy, although aspects that contributed had not been described. This qualitative phenomenological study examined jealousy and envy in non-monogamy using equity theory. The purposive sample drawn from Loving More Nonprofit, and 19 participants were interviewed. Transcripts were analyzed using NVivo for Mac using the modified van Kaam method. Study results included four major themes for research question 1: (a) agreements reduced jealousy, (b) boundary violations increased jealous, (c) communication mitigated jealousy, and (d) time allocation fueled jealousy, and three minor themes: (a) willingness to end problem relationships, (b) acceptance and reframing mitigated jealousy, and (c) NRE fueled jealousy; and three minor themes for research question 2: (a) challenges to partner choices fueled by envy, (b) resources allocation influenced by envy, and (c) self-comparison to metamours magnified by envy. Implications of themes were that agreements were used by the non-monogamous to manage jealousy and enhance equity perceptions but when boundary violations related to jealousy occurred and boundary turbulence and distrust often resulted. When jealousy arose the non-monogamous relied on communication strategies, such as acceptance and reframing and willingness to end relationships to preserve existing relationships through reciprocal altruism, and to mitigate jealousy and rebalance equity due to concerns of scarcity. Additionally, self-comparison to metamours&rsquo; attributes stimulated envy and appeared to magnify jealousy. Recommendation for professional practice included the importance of agreements for non-monogamous relationship maintenance, use of equity to manage boundaries, and the role that boundary turbulence plays in perceptions of fairness. Recommendations for further research included (a) a replication of the current qualitative phenomenological study using participants from outside of organizations to include a more diverse a sample to explore consistency of themes across a broader demographic of non-monogamous people (b) a quantitative descriptive study to operationalize jealousy and envy, (c) a quantitative correlational study to assess relationships between agreements, boundary violations and jealousy, and (d) a qualitative multiple case study to explore explicit versus implicit agreements.</p>

<p> Individuals that struggle with inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity experience difficulties in several life domains including struggles in academia (Biederman, Monuteaux et al., 2004), interpersonal relationships (e.g., Friedman et al., 2003), marital satisfaction (e.g., Eakin et al., 2004), and occupational performance (e.g., Barkley et al., 2008). In spite of a history of academic and social failures, many individuals with ADHD maintain a self-protective bias in which they maintain high self-evaluations of causal efficacy (Owens et al., 2007). This may contribute to greater levels of inattention, impulsivity, and resulting dysfunction, as self-evaluation is rule-governed rather than a result of self-awareness and discrimination. This study aimed to examine how derived causal efficacy might impact inattention and impulsivity. Participants completed a series of Go/NoGo tasks with and without contextual cues that had derived causal efficacy functions through their relations with discriminative stimuli for high or low rates of responding. The impact of derived causal efficacy was then examined in terms of errors of omission (inattention) and errors of commission (impulsivity). Implications for behavioral interventions for ADHD were discussed.</p>

Fifty adolescent females were randomly placed in praise, encouragement, and control conditions and instructed to solve difficult anagrams as they listened to a tape recorded female voice giving praise or encouragement feedback over headphones. The praise statements were focused more on evaluation and competition, whereas the encouragement statements focused more on effort. The research hypothesis of increased persistence for the encouragement condition was not supported by the results. The praise group rated the voice significantly higher on activity in comparison with controls. The expected association between self-efficacy expectations and persistence was supported, but the hypothesized relationship between locus of control and persistence was not supported. Results are discussed in terms of cognitive evaluation and behavioral theories. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: B, page: 3841. / Major Professor: F. Donald Kelly. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

To better understand the communication apprehension (CA) of students in classroom situations, this research investigated the trait and state anxiety of students enrolled in 10 sections of a public speaking course taught at a large Southeastern University. Each of the 195 students (81 males and 114 females) was asked to complete a trait-measure (PRCA-24) one week before and again one week after delivering three required speeches. To measure the state-anxiety, each student was asked to complete the Speaker Anxiety Scale (SA Scale) immediately after delivering each of the three informative speeches. / Five minutes before Speech 2, randomly selected students participated in one of the following treatments: (1) exit the room (E), (2) physical activity (PA), (3) visualization/deep breathing activity (VA), and (4) remain in the room (R), which was considered a control treatment. The treatments were chosen based on suggestions found in various public speaking textbooks to help reduce speaker anxiety. / A comparison of scores reported by the student on the SA Scale for the four treatment groups suggests the following: (1) both the PA and VA treatments were effective in reducing anxiety, (2) the effects of the treatments were considered temporary, and (3) students in the VA and R groups reported the greatest reduction in levels of anxiety from Speech 1 to Speech 3. A comparison of the difference in the posttest and pretest scores of the low, moderate, and high CA students suggests the largest reduction in CA was reported by the high CAs who participated in the PA treatment prior to Speech 2. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: A, page: 2386. / Major Professor: Theodore Clevenger, Jr. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

The topic of corporal punishment brings with it a long and controversial history. Although assumptions regarding corporal punishment are rampant in the scientific and popular literature, there appear to be no empirical studies specifically addressing its effects on academic achievement or classroom behavior. Nevertheless, in 1989, 31 states still sanctioned the use of corporal punishment. / The purpose of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of utilizing a behavioral diagnostic procedure to reduce disruptive and maladaptive behaviors in elementary school settings, thereby reducing the likelihood of corporal punishment. A diagnostic approach differs from the general application of behavioral procedures in a classroom. It allows the researcher to determine the functions that targeted behaviors serve for an individual child so that appropriate interventions may be implemented. / The results of the study clearly show that a diagnostic approach is an effective way to diagnose and treat recurrent school behavior problems. Subjects demonstrated substantial reductions in disruptive and maladaptive behaviors while increasing on-task behavior. In addition, frequency of corporal punishment was reduced. These findings offer a foundation for a future approach to a more effective and humane method of discipline in school settings. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-11, Section: B, page: 5964. / Major Professor: Jon S. Bailey. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

The purposes of this study were (a) to determine whether contextual interference (CI) is viable for acquisition and retention when blocked practice is implemented within a random order, and (b) to determine what amount of repetition needs to be utilized in blocked practice within a random format in order to promote enough interference in acquisition to aid retention. / Eighty-four male volunteer students enrolled in Florida State University during the 1992 summer session served as subjects for this study. They were randomly assigned to six groups. The blocked practice (BP) group practiced the circle target series in blocked order for 150 trials; the random group (RP) practiced the tasks randomly. The blocked practice within a random order groups (BPWRO3, BPWRO4, BPWRO5, and BPWRO6) differed in number of repetitions as indicated by the number for each group (3, 4, 5, and 6 repetitions), with a total of 150 trials for each subject in each group. After 10-minute intervals subjects performed 24 trials in the retention phase in random format in the circle target series. Eight dependent measures were utilized: reaction time (RT), movement time one (MT$\sb1$), movement time two (MT$\sb2$), total movement time (TMT), total performance response time (TP), accuracy for the first movement (AC$\sb1$), accuracy for the second movement (AC$\sb2$), and total accuracy (TAC). / The results of this study provide minimal support for contextual interference. According to the theory, the random practice should help the subjects to recall more than the other groups (the blocked and combined practice), since a deeper level of processing is required when the task is varied from trial to trial. The combined practice groups shared interference effects during acquisition for groups having both random and blocked features. These groups (BPWRO) also produced retention benefits in speeded movements and reactions but not in accuracy. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-11, Section: B, page: 5961. / Major Professor: Tonya Toole. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.