Using procedures designed to overcome methodological weaknesses of earlier research on the valence theory, the reinforcing strength of an experimenter's approval comment "good" was examined as a function of positive or negative contact with the experimenter prior to a criterion task. (Author/DB)

Investigates, in 34 handicapped preschoolers, the role of examiner familiarity in the performance of tasks requiring high or low levels of symbolic mediation. Subjects performed better with familiar examiners on tasks requiring high symbolic mediation; no differential performance was obtained on items requiring low symbolic mediation. (Author/RH)

Experimenter's sex appears to be an important factor in conservation assessment at the first-grade level. (RL)

Higher WISC-R scores were achieved by high school students receiving positive nonverbal treatment than by those receiving neutral nonverbal treatment. (Author/RL)