In the present study, the effects of (a) unit-dose packaging to facilitate self-monitoring of medication-taking behavior and (b) positive verbal reinforcement to maintain the reactive effects of self-monitoring were evaluated in six psychiatric outpatients.

The effects of instructions, non-contingent reinforcement, and contingent reinforcement on the level of self-determined standards for both experimental and generalization items were assessed using a reversal design. In addition the effects of the level of self-determined standards on performance in spelling was examined. The results indicated that contingent reinforcement for raising standards was an effective means of training the 30 subjects in this study to set high standards of performance for both experimental and generalization items. High standards did not, however, result in high levels of performance. When reinforcement was contingent upon subjects raising their standards and then scoring at this higher level (matching), both the level of standards and the level of performance showed moderate increases for most subjects. Subjects also exhibited similar increases in standards and performance for the generalization items. The maintenance of these increases during the subsequent reversal phase, however, limited the extent to which the changes could be attributed to the experimental manipulation. Further research is needed to evaluate more fully the effects of a matching procedure on the level of self-determined standards and performance.

Studies have shown that operant procedures can be successfully used in physical rehabilitation. This study was an attempt to develop standing and walking behaviors in a 47-year old male who was confined to a wheelchair. A multiple baseline design across settings was used to demonstrate the effects of verbal, physical and edible reinforcers on three sub-behaviors of standing. The first two sub-behaviors were trained and training had begun on the third sub-behavior when the study was abruptly terminated. Thus, no training sessions for walking took place.

Two severely retarded children were trained to serve as imitative learning trainers for two profoundly retarded children. Initially, one trainer reinforced the correct imitations of one trainee but not the other. A second trainer reinforced the correct imitations of a second trainee but not the first trainee. A multiple baseline _comparison revealed that initial training produced high rates of imitative responding to both the reinforcing and non-reinforcing trainers. .Generalization of initiative responding to both trainers in a new setting was also demonstrated. Stimulus control of imitative responding was achieved when the reinforcing and non-reinforcing trainers for each trainee reversed those roles. Imitative responding to both trainers was recovered when both trainers reinforced trainees' correct imitations. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of peers as imitative behavior trainers for retarded children, and generalization of imitative responding across settings and trainers.

Research has demonstrated the positive effects on reading achievement measures when content is conditioned as a reinforcer for prolonged reading. While previous research has focused on conditioning narrative texts on the relation to increased comprehension, there is no current research on the effects of conditioning informational texts. Experiment 1 examined whether the effects of conditioning narrative texts as a reinforcer extends to technical writing for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) content for third graders with and without Individualized Education Plans. We replicated the conditioning procedures used with elementary-aged participants in previous studies for narratives texts. Using a four-step, peer-collaborative procedure, peer interactions were paired with reading activities to condition narrative texts as reinforcers for prolonged reading. Results indicated that reinforcement value of conditioned narrative texts did not transfer to STEM texts. Experiment 2 examined whether the effects of conditioning STEM texts as reinforcer extends to narrative texts. Academic achievement was also measured after conditioned reinforcement for STEM texts was established using the four-step peer collaborative procedure. Results indicated that the reinforcement value for STEM texts did not transfer to narrative texts. Keywords: conditioned reinforcement, narrative, pairing, peers

Studies investigating the use of behavioral techniques in the treatment of health-related problems have recently received considerable emphasis. Problems such as enuresis (Atthowe, 1972; Nordquist, 1971), obesity (Stuart, 19137), alcoholism (Miller, 1972; Sobell and Sobell, 1973), chronic pain (Fordyce, Fowler, Lehman, and DeLateur, 1975·), and asthma (Neisworth, 1972; Renne and Creer. 1976) have been treated by the use of behavioral techniques. Katz and Zlutnick (1975) mention two critical areas in which behavior analysis is particularly applicable to health care: a) rehabilitation, and b) patient management. Rehabilitation involves learning behaviors related to specific physical disabilities, for example stroke patients relearning walking skills, and amputees learning various self-care and vocational skills. Patient management involves increasing or decreasing specific patient behaviors to ensure they follow prescribed treatment plans. Patients with chronic dieases such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis must often be placed on stringent medical regimens. Thus, compliance with physicians 1 requests to take medication, follow diets, or engage in exercise is a vital component of patient management and must be maintained if a patient is to sustain optimal health. In view of these considerations, knowledge of the conditions under which

The present study examined the separate effects of an educational program, feedback, and a token economy on the rate of brushing and flossing in the home environment.

Four groups of 12 rats each received constant medium size rewards of nine 45 mg Noyes pellets prior to nonrewarded (N) and nonrewarded punishment (P) (0.25 rna shock of 0.1 sec duration) trials and either large (L) size rewards of sixteen 45 mg pellets· or small (S) size rewards of two 45 mg pellets following N and P trials in a runway. Following acquisition each of the four groups was randomly subdivided into either continuous N or continuous P extinction conditions. This resulted in a two X two X two completely randomized factorial design with the variables and its levels being L and S Post N reward magnitudes, Lands' Post P reward magnitudes, and N and P extinction conditions. In acquisition, reward magnitude did not significantly affect performance. In extinction, large Post N reward magnitude produced larger resistance to extinction (Rn) than small Post N reward magnitude in the run and in the goal sections of the runway. The Post P reward magnitude did not affect performance in either acquisition or extinction. Higher Rn in the goal speed was reflected by the groups that received large Post N reward magnitude in the N extinction condition relative to the P extinction condition. The results of the present study were basically consistent with Capaldi's sequential theory with regard to Post N reward magnitude but not to Post P reward magnitude.

No description available.

Observing another child receive reinforcement has been shown by past researchers to produce two different types of effects: 1) facilitative, or 2) debilitative when children coact in a more competitive situation. Since Type A children have been found to engage in more comparison processes and are more competitive, the purpose of the present study was to empirically determine if Type A and Type B children's responses would differ in situations where they coacted with an intermediate status child who received or did not receive reinforcement. Fourth grade children were designated as Type A, Type B, or intermediate status by their teachers via the Matthews Youth Test for Health. Performance, affective behaviors, and written and verbal self-reports about the experimental situation were the dependent measures. Generally, it was found that reinforcement had non-specific facilitative effects on the performance of a dyad, and a mild facilitative effect for vicarious reinforcement was observed. Observing reinforcement was found to negatively effect children's enjoyment of the task, however. Type A children did not respond differentially than Type B children to observing versus not observing another child receive reinforcement, although Type A children's performances were more variable than Type B children's regardless of the situation. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding vicarious reinforcement processes, and Type A behavior in children. / Master of Science