A case study is used to argue that the function of the aggressive behavior of a young woman with severe mental retardation was to avoid or escape the termination of a chain of complex stereotyped ritual behaviors. This is an example of complex interaction between two behaviors and illustrates the need for very careful analysis of the functions of…

Study used a method different from that of past studies to reexamine first-date scripts of heterosexual college students. As expected, the findings did not change. Despite egalitarian claims, initial dating practices consistently appear to be primarily traditional. Article concludes that semi-egalitarian, semi-traditional perspectives of students…

This article discusses issues related to the use of applied behavior analysis (ABA) with students who have autism-related disabilities. These include: implementation forms, outcome expectations, exclusive versus selective use of ABA, time-related considerations, and personnel requirements for effective ABA implementation, evaluation, and…

Recent experiments are reviewed in three areas of research concerning reinforcement schedules: (1) behavioral history effects on schedule performance; (2) the role of instructions in schedule performance of humans; and (3) dynamic schedules of reinforcement. The paper concludes by identifying some general issues concerning reinforcement schedules…

Within-session delay-of-reinforcement gradients were generated with pigeons by progressively increasing delays to reinforcement within each session. In Experiment 1, the effects of imposing progressive delays on variable-interval and fixed-interval schedules were investigated while controlling for simultaneous decreases in reinforcer rate across…

The effects of two anorectic drugs, dexfenfluramine and phentermine, on food intake under different food-access conditions were examined. Experiment 1 compared the effects of these drugs on food intake under a progressive-ratio (PR) schedule and free-access conditions. Dexfenfluramine decreased food intake under both conditions, but the doses…

The origins of many of the basic concepts used in the experimental analysis of behavior can be traced to Pavlov's (1927/1960) discussion of unconditional and conditional reflexes in the dog, but often with substantial changes in meaning (e.g., stimulus, response, and reinforcement). Other terms were added by Skinner (1938/1991) to describe his…

Effects of prior exposure to the experimental chamber with levers present or absent and variable-time (VT) 60-s water deliveries arranged during one, five, or no 1-hr sessions were examined in rats during a 6-hr response-acquisition session in which presses on one lever produced water delivery immediately or after a 15-s resetting delay, and…

Recent progress in mouse genetics has led to an increased interest in developing procedures for assessing mouse behavior, but relatively few of the behavioral procedures developed involve positively reinforced operant behavior. When operant methods are used, nose poking, not lever pressing, is the target response. In the current study differential…

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board[R] (BACB[R]) credentials behavior analysts at two levels. This article examines how well the BACB and the certifications it offers adhere to accepted professional credentialing standards. Future developments in the BACB certification process and implications for behavior analysis service delivery are also…

The debate over the effects of the use of extrinsic reinforcement in classrooms, businesses, and societal settings has been occurring for over 30 years. Some theorists have cautioned against the use of reward, whereas others have found little, if any, detrimental effect. This article examines the debate with an emphasis on data-based findings. The…

Research directed toward maltreated children possesses an urgency characteristic of all problems of great social import. Child maltreatment sets in motion a probabilistic path that is characterized by failure in the successful resolution of major stage-salient issues of development. These developmental disruptions contribute to a profile of…

Rex Stockton reflects on group work as it was during his early career in the 1960s and 1970s and as it is today. He comments on his service to the group work field, his research on feedback exchange and leader training, and future trends and directions in group work. Additionally, he discusses some of his interests and contributions outside of the…

The authors address the methodological, theoretical, and ideological criticisms of their article on adolescent perceptions of parenting behavior made by G. Greenberg and T. Partridge. Behavioral genetic methods have provided unique insights on the origins of individual differences in behavior and, when applied to parenting and other putative…

Roger Barker, influenced by Lewin, developed a powerful theory in psychology, behavior setting theory. Paradoxically, this theory is still not widely known or understood in mainstream American psychology. Oral histories of the core group who worked with Barker were collected and examined to determine influences on them and subsequent directions in…