The worldwide rise in obesity makes this the first non-infectious epidemic in human history. The rapid increase is, in fact, influenced more by environment than biology. In an effort to halt the trend, Quebec has launched a major awareness-raising campaign that focuses on healthy environments and targets stakeholders in schools, municipalities,…

Planning, funding and operating anti-poverty programs require skilled community organizers. Training organizers deals with problems of how to motivate others and what tactics should be used when difficulty is encountered. Two approaches to these problems determined by images of 20th Century Man have been employed: (1) rational economic man who…

A multiple baseline design for modifying the gross motor coordination of a 31-month-old boy suspected of suffering from congenital brain damage was conducted at the University of Kansas Infant Study Laboratory. The primary purpose of the study was to establish, by experimental procedures, the desired, but absent, behavior of walking, getting up,…

The author relates contemporary work on imitation and training to the historic contributions of Itard and Sequin. (RD)

This research was supported by Research Grant No. 30-200-50, Indiana University Foundation, Indiana University.

An investigation of the efficacy of covert negative reinforcement (Ascher and Cautela, 1972) was replicated. Thirty Ss were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Ss in the experimental group were trained to imagine a noxious scene, then to shift to the image of a ringing bell. During the test phase, the word "bell" was used to reinforce over-…

The techniques of behavior modification are of potentially great value in the schools. (Author)

Proposed is a means of modifying soiling behavior of students (in grades K-3) in a regular classroom. Outlined are daily measurement, baseline, contingency, and teacher training procedures for the system involving verbal praise and activity time rewards. Also described are the evaluation design, special learning materials, and generalization and…

The effective use of parents as behavior change agents in the modification of their children's behavior is discussed. Identified are four parent training steps: (1) parents learn to identify and record specific behaviors: (2) parents learn through consultation and reading how to effect behavior change: (3) parents count behaviors, note behavioral…

This study analyzed the mental distractions of students while reading a text. Ss were asked to press a switch to record mental distractions as they occurred, and a treatment was designed to attempt to reduce the number of distractions. The hypothesis related to the treatment effect was that students given explicit training to reduce distractions…

The Training Proficiency Scale, designed to evaluate the competence of a trainer utilizing operant conditioning techniques with the mentally handicapped, is described in terms of its need, development, reliability and validity qualities, and four areas of assessment (shaping behavior, rewarding, communicating, and rapport). The scale is presented…

An approach to the teaching of behavioral science in the undergraduate medical curriculum is described. The course was designed to familiarize the students with the practical application of principles of behavior change to medical problems. (LBH)

A pedaling training program was devised for eight children (3-to 8-years-old) of varying degrees of retardation. (Author)