The articles in this special Practitioner's Edition of "Psychology in the Schools" share the application of sound educational and behavioral practices in real school and classroom contexts. Given this emphasis in these articles on the applied use of behavioral practices, the purpose of this brief commentary is to highlight and comment on some of…

In order to understand the complex behavior of an individual, what that individual has learned must be understood. Unfortunately, behavior analysis and psychology in general have not studied the cumulative effects of the learning principles. However, there are concepts in behavior analysis that, although not well researched, address this area.…

We tested the effect of a Rotated Protocol Immersion package on the emergence of observing responses as prerequisites for more complex verbal developmental capabilities. Three elementary aged students between the ages of 6 and 7 participated. They were diagnosed with autism spectrum disabilities. The treatment condition consisted of total…

The escalation of commitment has been variously labeled the psychology of entrapment, the sunk cost effect, and the too-much-invested-to-quit syndrome. This article reviews the state of research and describes four major determinants: project; psychological; social; and organizational variables. A model is provided. (YP)

The predominant theoretical orientation of the majority of scientists studying human behavioral development and family functioning is derived from systems models. These theories are dynamic in their conceptualization and emphasize process and context. To a large extent, the analytic strategies we employ are not consistent with our theoretical…

Schools mirror society. Both are struggling with issues that threaten not only the learning process, but human development as well. The underpinnings of all school activities are in large part drawn from the field of psychology. Today, as education reform gains momentum, the scientific knowledge and practice expertise of psychologists are…