This paper deals with three areas concerning early vocal development: (1) review and critique of existing experimental evidence suggesting that early vocal behavior has the properties of an operant response, (2) speculations concerning the role of non-verbal vocal behavior in early psychological development, and (3) suggestions for future…

The proceedings of the Second Annual Meeting and Conference of the National Society for Autistic Children begin with three brief statements regarding the Joint Commission on Mental Health of Children. Following are the keynote address by Edwin W. Martin concerning the rhetoric and reality of the Federal response to the educational needs of…

A study was conducted using positive reinforcement to increase and maintain the time spent participating in study behavior of a six-year-old female kindergarten student and to introduce the teacher to behavioral change techniques. Attending and non-attending study behaviors were observed during 30-minute independent study periods in the classroom.…

One of a series of original statements on a central concept, principle, theory, or problem in the social sciences, this module presents a definition and some illustrations of paired associate (PA) learning and a summary of the procedures used in PA learning. Many of the important research findings on PA learning are briefly recounted and a basic…

This study demonstrated reinforcement control over pronounced feminine behaviors in a male child who had been psychologically evaluated as manifesting "childhood cross-gender identity." Reinforcement control over cross-gender behavior was demonstrated by identifying some behavioral treatment conditions under which feminine behaviors could be…

The author reviews and evaluates the principal theoretical measures of attention categorized in three areas: self-report measures, operant behavioral measures, and psychophysiological measures. Self-report measures include a variety of rating scales, interest and attitude scales, Krugman's "number of 'connections,'" and program audience analyzers.…

The paper presents a philosophy of education for severely deviant children and adolescents who are brain damaged (severely retarded), mentally ill, or behaviorally uncontrolled. The following are program components: psychologically and educationally sound materials such as programed materials following a life experience approach, operant…

Residual hearing capabilities of nine severely and profoundly retarded deaf-blind children (7-13 years old) were determined with an operant procedure that allowed the children to respond by making a selection between two responses, one which resulted in the presentation of auditory reinforcement or one which resulted in no reinforcement.…

Twenty hyperactive 6- to 9-year-old children of normal intelligence were studied in a half-day laboratory classroom in a double-blind condition in which half the Ss were placed on Ritalin and half on placebo. (Author/CL)

The Portland, Oregon, YMCA Metro Fitness Center has been named by the National Y Board as the prototype for some 40 similar projects nationwide. The complete physical fitness facility includes research space for the University of Oregon Medical School to use for study in preventive medicine. (Author/MLF)

Peer reinforcement, modeling, and cooperative programing arrangements are among the strategies described which involve peers in modifying the behavior problems of classmates. (CL)

A method of rapid token training was undertaken in which 20 moderately retarded institutionalized adults observed a model perform a specific behavior for which a token was awarded and exchanged for a back-up reinforcer. (CL)

Assess the effects of patient-experimenter proximity on schizophrenics' learning when the social class of the subjects, both schizophrenics and nonschizophrenics, and the verbal and nonverbal components of social reinforcement are controlled. Also tests males and females to determine whether sex of subjects moderates the responses of…

Single-subject experimental methodology was used to evaluate the relationship between distinct patterns of deviant sexual arousal and heterosexual arousal. The theoretical and clinical implications of a functional independence among various patterns of sexual arousal are discussed. (Author)

Compared the similarities and differences between the steps engaged in by master's and doctoral level school psychologists as they conducted operant behavioral consultations. Two of the 12 major steps in conducting operant behavioral case consultations revealed significant differences. Questions are raised regarding efficiency and outcomes of…