Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often require early intensive behavioral interventions (EIBI) to improve their skills in a variety of domains. Error correction is a common instructional component in EIBI programs because children with ASD tend to make persistent errors. Ineffective error correction can result in a lack of learning or undesirable behavior. To date, research has not systematically investigated the use of reinforcement during error correction for children with ASD. This study compared the effects of correcting errors with and without reinforcement and their impact on preferences of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Four boys with ASD between 3 to 7 years old in China participated in this study. In the context of a repeated-acquisition design, each participant completed three sets of matching-to-sample task under the two error-correction procedures. During the error correction with reinforcement condition, the participants received the reinforcers after correct responses prompted by the researcher following errors. During the without-reinforcement condition, the participants did not receive any reinforcers after prompted responses. The number of sessions required to reach mastery criterion under the two conditions varied among the participants. Visual analysis did not confirm a functional relation between the error-correction procedures and the sessions required to reach mastery. With regard to children’s preferences, three children preferred the with-reinforcement condition and one preferred the without-reinforcement condition. The findings had conceptual implications and suggested practical implications relating to treatment preference.

Personality traits of women majoring in physical education who preferred team sports, individual sports, or dance were compared, using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). No significant differences were found between the three groups on seven of the eight MMPI scales used. The dance group scored significantly more feminine on scale 5 of the MMPI than did either the team sports or individual sports group. Gymnasts and swimmers were significantly more feminine than was the track and field sub-group on this scale. The social and folk dance sub-groups and the non-majors sub-group were significantly more feminine than were the track and field sub-group and the snow skiing sub-group. The scores on the other MMPI scales seemed to indicate that women majoring in physical education tend to have personality characteristics that differ from the norms of the MMPI, and that women preferring particular sports have differing personality characteristics. On an additional variable of height and weight, it was found that women in dance weight significantly less than do women in team and individual sports.

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have very poor long-term outcomes. Non-contingent reinforcement (NCR) has been used to successfully reduce problem behaviors. NCR is frequently used with populations with severe disabilities and in hospital settings using function based reinforcers. Very few studies have applied the use of NCR to EBD populations, and to students whose cognitive scores fall within the normal range. No studies have examined the use of preferred tangible reinforcers delivered non-contingently with participants with EBD or in classroom settings. This study measured the effects of delivering tangible reinforcers selected through preference assessments on the disruptive and on-task behaviors of three students with EBD in the classroom setting. Results indicate the use of preferred tangibles delivered on a fixed-schedule can be effective in reducing disruptive behavior in the classroom without reducing on-task behaviors, and may, in fact, be effective in increasing on-task behaviors in the classroom.

This study investigated the effect of a Making Healthy Choices lesson on junior high school students' preference rankings of items used to motivate students to increase academic performance. Results indicated that the lesson resulted in increased ranking scores on healthy items. This study used an assessment procedure that may be used to identify healthy rewards that may motivate students to increase academic performance as well as practice healthy decision making to prevent obesity.

Herbivory is one major force accelerating aspen decline in North America, but it is unclear why herbivores prefer certain aspen stands over others, or over other plant species in the understory. In this dissertation, I determined the influence of nutrients and plant secondary compounds (PSC), physiological state, chemical composition, and prior experience on aspen preference by sheep in controlled pen experiments. In addition, I explored the relationship between herbivory, regeneration, recruitment, and other landscape elements for specific aspen stands within Wolf Creek Ranch in northern Utah using biomass and chemical composition of the understory and chemical defenses of juvenile aspen trees (i.e., the foodscape). Aspen intake was enhanced when lamb diets contained a high crude protein to energy ratio or when the basal diet contained a low density of energy. Intake was depressed as concentrations of PG (phenolic glycosides) increased in aspen leaves or when lambs were fed a high energy to protein ratio. The effects of nutrients on aspen intake were greater when phenolic glycosides in aspen were present at low concentrations. However, when given a choice between aspen leaves of high or low PG content, lamb preference depended more on aspen nutrient and mineral availability, or on prior diet, than on defense chemistry. On the landscape, I found that stands at low elevations with low abundance of nutrients in the understory are more likely to experience less regeneration and recruitment than those growing within nutrient-rich sites. Aspen browsing was negatively correlated with PG content in aspen stands, and elk presence (measured via fecal pellets) was negatively correlated with abundance of understory protein. In conclusion, aspen herbivory appears to be controlled by the interplay between types and amounts of nutrients offered by the landscape and the chemical composition of aspen stands. A clear assessment of these variables on the landscape, i.e., the foodscape, will aid in the development of novel management strategies aimed at providing nutrients (e.g., through supplements, introduced forages) at strategic locations in order to reduce aspen herbivory within at-risk aspen stands.

Token economies incorporating differential reinforcement of other behavior and response cost have been shown to be effective for decreasing behavior. However, these token economies in the literature have differed in their findings of the effectiveness of and preference for differential reinforcement of other behavior and response cost. They have also differed in the way they implemented token economies including factors such as the immediacy of a consequence and the use of verbal feedback. Therefore, we examined two versions of response cost, one in which the contingency is experienced immediately and one in which it is experienced at end of an interval, with differential reinforcement of other behavior. We also examined these contingencies with the addition of verbal feedback and the participant preference for conditions. Results demonstrated that there was a faster decrease in errors during the response cost immediate conditions when compared to response cost delay and DRO conditions. All conditions resulted in fewer errors than the conditions without verbal feedback and preference was found to be variable. Response cost immediate resulted in the most raffle tickets earned during the no verbal feedback phases and most of the verbal feedback phases.

[pt] Evidências mostram que existe um determinado período na vida dos indivíduos onde certas preferências são desenvolvidas. Essas preferências parecem ser levadas por toda a vida, influenciando nos gostos desses indivíduos a longo prazo. Esse fenômeno vem a ser o que chamamos de Efeito Coorte. Este estudo a avalia se, conforme a teoria dos efeitos do coorte até então estudada, existe um período mais sensível da vida do indivíduo, no qual a preferência pelas tendências da moda é formada. O estudo investiga, ainda, alguns desdobramentos desta teoria, procurando identificar se existe um ponto máximo onde esta preferência ocorre. Os resultados mostraram ser compatíveis com a teoria até então estudada, fato que vem a ser de extrema relevância no trabalho de profissionais de marketing no setor da moda, além de sugerir estudos futuros mais extensivos no assunto. / [en] There is evidence that in certain period of an individual s life they develop preferences that remain unchanged throughout a lifetime. Therefore, these preferences may influence their tastes in the future. This phenomenon is called the cohort effect. This study investigates if there is a critical period in an individual s life, substantiating the cohort theory, where fashion preferences are developed. Other implications of this theory is explored in this study by trying to identify if there is a specific period, where these preferences occur. The results seem to be consistent with the existing cohort theory, which is extremely relevant for marketing professionals in the fashion business, and highlights the need for future studies for further investigation.

Repeated exposure to drugs of abuse conditions individuals to anticipate the behavioral consequences of drug use specifically in the presence of a drug-associated context. In rodents, preferences and aversions for alcohol and cocaine have been conditioned; however, the mechanisms underlying the expression of these conditioned effects remain unknown. Given that alcohol and cocaine polysubstance abuse is prevalent in young individuals, with more than 50% of these polysubstance abusers reporting to be under the age of 21, it is important to understand the mechanisms contributing to the behavioral effects of alcohol and cocaine co-dependency. Aim 1 determined if age differentially impacted the effects of repeated alcohol exposure on conditioned cocaine preferences. Adolescent [postnatal day (PND) 30) and adult (PND 60) male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered ethanol (0.5 or 1.75 g/kg, i.p.) immediately before each cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) session (20 mg/kg, i.p.; 15 minutes). Aim 2, Experiments 1 and 2, identified the role of NMDA receptors within the nucleus accumbens septi (NAcc) in conditioned ethanol/cocaine behavior. Adolescent and adult rats in Experiment 1 were administered the NMDA antagonist MK-801 (0.1 or 0.2 m/kg, i.p.) 30 minutes prior to cocaine conditioning. Adolescent and adult rats within Experiment 2 underwent bilateral cannulation for chronic implantation of the cannulae into the NAcc of both hemispheres. Rats administered 1mM MK-801 or saline into the NAcc prior to cocaine (20.0 mg/kg, i.p.) conditioning, completed additional testing to determine the role of NAcc NMDA receptors in the consolidation, reconsolidation and expression of cocaine conditioned behavior in a drug-induced reactivation manner. Findings show adolescent and adult rats responded similarly to co-administration of ethanol/cocaine with both ages showing a decrease in the rewarding properties of cocaine. What differed between the age groups were the aversive properties of ethanol, with adolescents being less sensitive to the aversive properties of ethanol and its modulating effects on cocaine reward. A role for the NAcc NMDA receptors was observed in contributing to the modulating effects of ethanol on cocaine reward. Lastly, the reconsolidation of cocaine reward was more sensitive to disruption in adolescent rats, as compared to their adult counterparts. These results suggest an increased vulnerability for adolescents to continue engaging in polysubstance abuse. However, this at-risk age group also appeared to be more responsive to pharmacological treatment in decreasing addictive behavior.

This thesis investigates the share price response to the announcement of private placements of hybrid securities in Australia. Firstly, the size and direction of the share price response is examined. Secondly, the determinants of the share price response are examined. Where possible, comparisons are made to evidence from international markets. The sample of data tested consists of 43 announcements of convertible debt issues, 39 announcements of preference share issues and 19 announcements of option issues made between 1983 and 2000 by Australian firms. The analysis of the share price impact in response to the announcements is conducted using Maynes and Rumsey (1993) event study methodology that adjusts for thin trading. The determinants of the share price response are examined using model specifications that are derived from the theoretical literature. The analysis of the announcement effect of private placements of hybrid securities finds significant negative abnormal returns for convertible debt issues, insignificant negative abnormal returns for preference share issues and significant positive abnormal returns for option issues. In comparison to international studies, the convertible debt results are similar to public and rights issues, the insignificant preference share results are similar to other findings and the option results are similar to private placements of equity and rights issues of options. The results of the investigation of the determinants of the announcement effect of private placements of hybrid securities finds that convertible debt issues are best explained by information asymmetry - firm and issue characteristics, the information asymmetry - external monitors hypothesis, the information asymmetry - dynamic hypothesis and the agency cost hypothesis. The impact of preference share issues is best explained by information asymmetry - firm and issue characteristics, the information asymmetry - external monitors hypothesis, the agency cost hypothesis and the price pressure hypothesis. The announcement effect of option issues is best explained by information asymmetry - firm and issue characteristics, the information asymmetry -dynamic hypothesis and the optimal capital structure hypothesis.

<p>Individer har olika grad av Preference for consistency (PFC) och är en bidragande orsak till hur man uppfattar och agerar i konsumentsammanhang. Studien undersökte om höga PFC- individer var mer positiva till ”ett erbjudande” med hög konsekvenskänsla. Tre betingelser med varierande manipulationsgrad användes och data samlades in från 74 studenter. Ett frågeformulär med tillhörande erbjudande presenterades för deltagarna som fyllde i ett antal frågor och en PFC-B skala. Studien lyckades inte ge stöd åt hypotesen. Däremot förekom en illusion av osårbarhet och en tredjepersoneffekt. Studien lyckades troligtvis inte konstruera ett tillräckligt bra instrument som skapade rätt konsekventkänsla vilket bidrog till att deltagarna inte blev påverkade av erbjudandet i den grad som var förväntat.</p>