The role of equivalence class formation in delayed position recognition span performance was examined with three mentally retarded adults. Matching-to-sample training established equivalence classes. In subsequent span tests, subject-produced numeral names led to dramatic increases in span scores. The equivalences provided precursors of verbal…

Six responses to a study on reinforcement contingencies defined by the response deprivation hypothesis (Stanley Aeschleman and Margaret Williams) note interactions, trends, the role of context, a functional approach to learned performance, the substitutability of responses, and the ecology of reinforcement. (DB)

The study with 84 mentally retarded persons (mean IQ 41) concluded that increases of instrumental performance in the response deprivation schedules employed were due to the contingency and not noncontingent deprivation, and that the effectiveness of therapeutic reinforcement programs is influenced by the presence of alternative responses.…

Reinforcement contingencies defined by the response deprivation hypothesis were evaluated with three moderately mentally retarded persons (ages 17, 18, and 19). In the presence of the low probability, freely available response, a consistent reinforcement effect was evident whereas in the presence of a high probability response, the reinforcement…

Four methods for response prompting and fading are reviewed: increasing assistance, decreasing assistance, graduated guidance, and time delay. Comparative investigations involving these methods are discussed, and recommendations for practitioners and for future research are included. (Author/JDD)

Staff members (N=72) of 12 community residential facilities for the retarded rated the acceptability of four behavior modification procedures. Treatments were rated according to their restrictiveness with differential reinforcement of other behavior the most acceptable, followed by time-out, overcorrection, and shock. (Author/DB)

Two experiments with five individuals having severe mental retardation identified some problems and limits in training reversals of previously learned discrimination tasks using stimulus control shaping methodology. (DB)

Two experiments, involving a total of 126 subjects with mental retardation (mental age from 5-11 years), found that subjects were less likely than controls to employ the "difference rule" (communicate to the listener how a referent is different from other stimuli) and that perceptual feedback training enhances referential communication…

Effects of an intervention that combined self-instruction with multiple exemplar training on the generalized problem solving of five high school students with mental retardation were examined. The intervention involved preteaching self-instruction to proficiency with one exemplar before introducing multiple exemplars and embedding problem…

The problem of teaching relational discriminations to people with mental retardation is examined. The limitations of several commonly used teaching procedures are discussed and alternative approaches to simple-discrimination learning are described. Results of two preliminary single-subject studies demonstrating the feasibility of these approaches…

The authors respond to comments of colleagues concerning their study on reinforcement contingencies defined by the response deprivation hypothesis with moderately mentally retarded persons. They stress the importance of basic research in this area and the need for such research to demonstrate its application to real world problems. (DB)

Training procedures including cues-pause-point procedures were effectively used to teach two mentally retarded males (ages 18 and 20) to answer questions with sign language and generalize this training to correct responding to untrained questions. (Author/DB)

The study, with 32 adolescents with mild mental retardation and controls, found that imagery practice facilitated the execution of the reaction time component of a motor task and sometimes facilitated performance of the movement time component of the motor task. (DB)

Five adults with Prader-Willi syndrome (characterized by short stature, learning difficulties, incomplete sexual development, and uncontrollable eating) learned the conditional relations necessary for the formation of two equivalence classes under differential/nondifferential and edible/nonedible outcomes. Performance on test trials was better…

Matching-to-sample skills are involved in language acquisition and reading and counting abilities. The rapid, even errorless, induction of matching performances in young children and 28 individuals with mental retardation (ages 11-20) was demonstrated through the structuring of a visual array that promoted detection of the relevant stimulus.…