The fact" that behavior can be conditioned through the use of verbal reinforcement is well documented (c.f. Kanf er, 1968 ; Flanders , 1968 ) • Specific critical responses of a subject, reinforced by praise or utterance of the word "good, " tend to increase in frequency, in this type of conditioning.

It has been suggested (Krasner, I958, I965; Williams, 196^; Williams and Blanton, I968) that operant verbal conditioning resembles psychotherapy in that both can be seen as belonging in a broad class of behavior influencing techniques. Krasner (I965) says that if changes in verbal behavior can be shown to have consequences for changes in other kinds of behavior, then systematic modification of verbalization itself can be called treatment. Given this point of view, the empirical question to be answered then is, "Does reinforcement of a particular response class through verbal conditioning procedures lead to changes, not only in verbal behaviors, but in other overt behaviors as well, in a variety of situations?" In other words, if this position is valid, it should be experimentally demonstrable that operant verbal conditioning, aside from simply modifying verbal behavior, can result in substantial modification of other behaviors in a variety of situations, not just in the original conditioning situation.

At long last, the first step in a long chain of scientific endeavors is completed. I am excited. I believe that I have been trained well. And so, I would like to thank everyone that has made this possible. But how does my training facilitate acknowledging all of those who have had a major impact on my behavior? First, it gives me a historical perspective. From this perspective I remember the warmth and love that was provided by my parents John and June and the love and competition provided by my brothers, Jack, Mike and Tim. Second, my training provides me with a social, environmental perspective. From this I recall the consistent, immediate support supplied by my friends. Especially, I thank Karen. Third, my training has provided me with a professional perspective. From late night planning, scheming and scamming with Kent Johnson to Tuesday organizing with Beth Sulzer-Azarof f , I have been fortunate to experience the best in behavioral training. Of course, all these categories overlap. There is no simple way to separate the historical from the social or the social from the professional. All that one can do is key in on certain ways that others have been of assistance. Therefore, the last perspective that my training has provided is to be able to isolate the key factors in this specific project. From this, I know to thank each of my committee members, John Donatioe, J.M. Royer and Arnold well, a superb typist, Carol Vreeland, and especially, again, my advisors and friends, Kent Johnson and Beth Sulzer-Azarof

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Previous research has indicated found that individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have difficulties in processing auditory information for the planning of movements relative to their peers with undifferentiated developmental handicaps. This modality-specific information-processing difficulty has been found for the preprogramming of goal-directed aiming movements (Le Clair & Elliott, 1995) and in simple reaction times (Davis, Sparrow, & Ward, 1991; Hermelin, 1964). The purpose of the present study was to assess whether or not a model of atypical cerebral specialization for the perception of speech sounds, proposed by Elliott and colleagues, could explain these findings. Thus, participants performed a choice reaction aiming task under three conditions. Colour-coded targets were cued by a visual cue at the target location, a visual cue remote from the target location, or a verbal cue identifying the target. Results revealed that while the reaction times did nCit differ between the two groups with handicaps, the participants with DS, unlike the two control groups, had significantly longer movement times in the verbal than in two visual conditions. These results support the model of biological dissociation. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)