Recent mandates related to the implementation of evidence-based practices for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require that autism professionals both understand and are able to implement practices based on the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA). The use of the term "applied behavior analysis" and its related concepts…

The author of this article presents his own explanation on the two types of conditioning--respondent and operant. He states that when withdrawal of a negative reinforcer is the contingency that increases the strength of the operant behavior, the stimulus will have a negative emotional response to the experimental chamber. However, when a positive…

Three experiments analyze correspondence training as a chain of five events consisting of a promise, a series of behaviors leading from the promise to its nonverbal fulfillment (called "intermediate behavior"), a nonverbal behavior that fulfills the promise, a verbal report, and a nonverbal (or reported) behavior. Eight three- to…

The rate of achievement and enjoyment of 12 learning disabled pupils (ages 8-12 years) in a token economy was demonstrated to be higher when they were permitted to select their own reinforcers than when the teacher selected the reinforcers. (MH)

Examined with five preschool male children (1 year, 11 months to 2 years, 6 months old) was the effectiveness of a behaviorally oriented treatment program to reduce hyperactivity. Ss were enrolled in a behavior modification class which met for 2 hours per day, 3 days per week, and parents were enrolled in a parent training program. Among findings…

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A 14-year-old student with moderate retardation rode a stationary bicycle, while rotation of the bicycle wheel operated one of three consequence conditions (television, flashing lights, or vibrator sound). Vibrator sound was the most potent reinforcing consequence. The activity led to the development of exercise behavior with a minimum amount of…

Michael (1975) reviewed efforts to classify reinforcing events in terms of whether stimuli are added (positive reinforcement) or removed (negative reinforcement). He concluded that distinctions in these terms are confusing and ambiguous. Of necessity, adding a stimulus requires its previous absence and removing a stimulus its previous presence.…

Four treatment procedures were evaluated for effectiveness in reducing self injurious behavior (SIB) of 22 severely handicapped students. Treatment procedures included contingent restraint, reinforcement withdrawal, differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior, and ommission training (rewarding the S for not emitting the SIB response).…

This paper discusses how to set up and implement a token economy system for students with behavior disorders in a classroom setting. The available literature is reviewed, and it is concluded that token economies have been proven effective in improving behavior among students with social and academic deficits. (Author/PB)

The effect of general and subject-specific prompts in eliciting a zero- or low-probability behavior in three Hispanic gang members, selected because of their artistic or writing abilities, was examined by monitoring their behavior in submitting any original work, written or pictorial, that could be published in a community newsletter. Dependent…

The study sought to identify effective procedures for facilitating initial imitative vocal behavior in mentally retarded children, thus accelerating the initial stages of language acquisition. Three groups of Down syndrome children ages 6 months to 4 years (N=15) served as subjects in an examination of the relative effectiveness of three…