Tootling is a classwide, peer-mediated intervention created to encourage desired classroom behaviors and enhance students' awareness of classmates' incidental prosocial behaviors (Cashwell et al., 2001; Skinner et al., 2000). This intervention was named Tootling by combining the word "tattling," which is a type of peer reporting, and the…

Disruptive behaviors are some of the most commonly presented concerns in the classroom. Without intervention, such difficulties may lead to higher teacher frustration and a higher rate of negative teacher feedback, and they may interfere with students' learning opportunities and result in poorer academic and life adjustment outcomes (Landrum,…

The purpose of the study was to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to demonstrate efficacy of the Class-wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) program. The study was designed to replicate an initial RCT conducted by the CW-FIT developers in 1 site, with 2 additional research groups not involved in its development. The study was…

The present study examined the effects of tootling, a peer-mediated positive behavior intervention, on students' classwide disruptive and academically engaged behavior in three general education high school classrooms. A withdrawal design was used to assess the effects of the intervention. Students wrote tootles anonymously on paper slips and…

The efficacy of the Good Behavior Game was examined in a multiethnic New York City public high school. Classroom rules were posted and students were divided into two teams. A reinforcement preference questionnaire was used to select daily and weekly prizes. The classroom teacher indicated that he was going to place a check on the board after every…

Parenting programmes are effective interventions for preventing and treating conduct problems in young children. Up to 20% of children in disadvantaged areas have conduct disorder. Recent government initiatives such as targeting early years services to designated disadvantaged Flying Start areas in Wales have resulted in increased nursery-care…

Because learned associations are quickly renewed following extinction, the extinction process must include processes other than unlearning. However, reinforcement learning models, such as the temporal difference reinforcement learning (TDRL) model, treat extinction as an unlearning of associated value and are thus unable to capture renewal. TDRL…

Examines three troublesome questions concerning the effects of behavior modification: (1) what other conditionings may occur besides the simple one desired, (2) what type of personality modification is taking place along with behavior modification, and (3) what type of society will result when it consists of individuals trained in this manner?…

Two disruptive adult behaviors, arriving late to class and not remaining in class, were significantly changed by changes in the reward structure. Implications are considered for the use of behavior modification approaches in designing more effective learning environments for disadvantaged adults. (Author/AG)

Presents twelve reasons why educators should be wary of behavior modification. (JF)

Answers criticisms of and questions about behavior modification. (JF)

The nature and value of behavior modification depends, crucially, on what assumptions one makes about human nature and the explanation of human behavior. It is very easy for a teacher practicing behavior modification to assume unquestioningly a deterministic view of human nature. (RM)

Argues that behavior modification represents the use of a series of scientifically verified techniques that could be used to promote more effective learning of both social and academic subject matter. The author maintains that a behavioral approach fails to help the teacher decide why, what, and who is going to learn. (Author/JF)

By the novel system of rewards outlined in this article, two-year-old children learned to read, the hyperaggressive to sit calmly and study, and the nonverbal and the autistic to speak. (RJ)