Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1960. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 71 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 58-65).

Thesis--Indiana University. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The current set of experiments sought to address a variable involved in slot machine gambling that has been termed the near-miss effect. In the present paper, the conceptual underpinnings of this `effect' were examined from a behavioral as well as a non-behavioral psychological perspective. The experiments and rationale for conducting them were prefaced with an in-depth analysis of problem gambling in general including prevalence, demographics, etiology, assessment, and treatment. A comprehensive review of behavioral analytic investigations on gambling in the areas of programmed contingencies, structural features, verbal behavior, the near miss effect, and treatment components was also presented. In terms of the empirical analyses, Experiments 1 and 2 examined the near miss effect as measured by response allocation to concurrently available simulated slot machines in non-pathological gamblers. The results of these studies indicated that verbal rule formation, only when it was presented through multiple exemplars, was significant enough to override programmed contingencies as well as near miss outcomes. Experiments 3 and 4 incorporated participants with a history of problem gambling and sought to reduce the verbal rule involved in the near miss effect through varying treatment strategies associated with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Experiment 3 demonstrated that one process of ACT was not sufficient in suppressing this behavior however, Experiment 4 showed that a brief ACT intervention incorporating all of its core processes was successful in treating the near miss effect. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of a functional approach to the treatment of problem gambling and future extensions of this research are offered.

Orientador: Ana Cláudia Moreira Almeida Verdu / Banca: Deisy das Graças de Souza / Banca: Maria Regina Cavalcante / Resumo: O presente estudo objetivou verificar os efeitos de leitura de contingências descritas em uma história sobre o desempenho verbal e não-verbal das crianças. Foram realizados três estudos com objetivos semelhantes e algumas diferenças procedimentais. Participaram onze crianças entre oito e dez anos, quatro crianças no primeiro estudo, três no segundo e quatro crianças no terceiro. O procedimento foi dividido em três etapas: (i) aplicação do WISC; (ii) etapa de ambientação; (iii) etapa experimental. Na última etapa, as crianças foram divididas em três condições. Na Condição 1, a criança foi exposta à História A, que descrevia o comportamento alvo de um garoto de pegar os doces antes da festa de aniversário. Esse comportamento supostamente não era seguido por consequência aversiva. Para avaliar a compreensão da história, o participante foi exposto a três testes de emparelhamento cujas perguntas se referiam à história. Em seguida, a criança era deixada sozinha sob filmagem. Decorridos cinco minutos, a experimentadora voltava para a sala e fazia uma sequência de perguntas que avaliavam quais eram as relações entre a história contada e o desempenho emitido e relatado pelos participantes. Após um período de atividades lúdicas, cada participante era exposto à História B, que descrevia o mesmo comportamento alvo. Dessa vez, o comportamento era seguido por consequência aversiva. Após essa leitura, as crianças eram expostas aos mesmos procedimentos subsequentes à leitura da primeira história. A Condição 2 teve a mesma sequência de passos, contudo, primeiramente foi lida a História B e depois a História A. Na Condição 3 também foi adotada a mesma sequência, porém os participantes foram expostos a outras duas histórias com temáticas semelhantes, mas sem menção aos comportamentos de pegar os doces antes da festa. Alguns resultados foram... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to verify the effects of reading contingencies, described in a story, on verbal and nonverbal performance of children. Three studies with similar objectives and a few procedural differences were carried out. Eleven children between the ages of eight and ten participated in the studies: four children in the first study, three stages: (i) stage in which the children were submitted to WISC-tests; (ii) stage in which the children were adapting themselves to the new environment; and (iii) the experimental stage. During the last stage the children were divided into three conditions. In Condition 1, the children were exposed to Story A, which referred to the story. Then, the children were left alone and filmed. After five minutes, the person conducting the experiment went back into the room and asked a sequence of questions that assessed which were the relationships between the story told and the performance executed and reported by the subjects. After a period of ludic activities, each subject was exposed to Story B, which described the same target behavior. Only this time, the behavior was followed by an aversive consequence. After Story B was read to the first story. Condition 2 had the same sequence of steps; however, Story B was read first, followed by StoryA. The same sequence was also adopted for Condition 3; yet, the subjects were exposed to two other stories with themes that were similar to those of Story A and Story B but without mentioning the behavior of grabbing the sweets before the party. Some of the results were common to all three experiments. None of the children ate the sweets after the stories were read under all three conditions. Nevertheless, the frequency of behavior towards the sweets was higher after Story. A was read, as compared to when Story B was read, both under Condition 1 and Condition 2. Such results suggest that stories... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Millions of Americans are afflicted with dementia and that number is only expected to rise. The diagnosis of dementia comes with impairments, especially in language, and dementia functional declines appear to be affected by the environment and not solely as a result of the disorder (Alzheimer's Association, 2012; American Psychiatric Association, 2000; Engelman et al., 1999; Engelman et al., 2003). Traditional language tests are not likely to assess the mand (Esch et al., 2010), and the mand is a verbal operant about which little is known among this population. The current study investigates whether contriving an EO within a preferred activity using a prompt-probe intermix procedure and a transfer of stimulus control procedure could effectively train mands in older adults with dementia. There were two participants, and varied results were obtained. The procedure was demonstrated to be effective with one participant, but results were inconsistent with the second participant. Modifications had to be made throughout training for both participants, showing the importance of making modifications to training based on data obtained and to individualize the treatment.

Important advancements have been made in the identification of reinforcers over the past decade. The use of preference assessments has become a systematic way to identify preferred events that may function as reinforcers for an individual's behavior. Typically, preference assessments require participants to select stimuli through verbal surveys or engagement with stimuli as preferred or non-preferred. Not all studies go on to directly test the effects of the preferred stimuli, and even fewer studies directly test for the effects of the non- preferred stimuli. The present study systematically identified preferred and non-preferred stimuli in adult human subjects by verbal report and then proceeded to test the effects of both verbally reported preferred and non preferred events on single and concurrent schedules of reinforcement. The results are discussed in terms of contemporary concerns regarding preference and reinforcer assessments.

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