Two experiments were conducted to investigate generalized imitation of manual gestures in 1- to 2-year-old infants. In Experiment 1, 6 infants were first trained four baseline matching relations (e.g., when instructed "Do this," to raise their arms after they saw the experimenter do so). Next, four novel gestures that the infants did not match in…

Play is, by definition, internally motivated, flexible, spontaneous and voluntary. Yet some researchers claim to have taught children with autism to play using behavioural interventions that are heavily structured, repetitive and make use of external reinforcements. In the current systematic review, we examine the extent to which these claims are…

This study investigated the use of adapted bicycles on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of conventional cycling by seven children with mild mental retardation. Feedback was used in addition to the adapted bicycles and consisted of pedal rate, head position, and steering participation. A multiple probe design was used. Participants…

This study examined the effects of an intensive parent training program on the acquisition and generalization of discrete trial teaching (DTT) procedures with two parents of children with autism. Over the course of the program, parents applied the DTT procedures to teach four different functional skills to their children, which allowed for an…

In two experiments in a Morris pool, rats were trained to find a hidden platform which was located in a specific position in relation to two objects, B and F, which were presented together, one in front of the other. One object, B, was just above the platform (a beacon for the platform, the critical object) while the second object, F, was above…

Prism exposure produces 2 kinds of adaptive response. Recalibration is ordinary strategic remapping of spatially coded movement commands to rapidly reduce performance error. Realignment is the extraordinary process of transforming spatial maps to bring the origins of coordinate systems into correspondence. Realignment occurs when spatial…

Two experiments examined conditions under which complex discriminative behaviors could be established and maintained by reinforcement given concurrently for performance at related tasks. Results indicated that durable stimulus control of oddity responding could be obtained for two cue dimensions for which oddity responding was never reinforced.…

Second-, third- and fourth-grade children participated in two experiments involving gameplaying. Substantial persistence and generalization of effects of exposure to a peer model were found. (JMB)

The early and recent history of meta-analysis is outlined. After providing a definition of meta-analysis and listing its major characteristics, developments in statistics and research are described that influenced the formulation of modern meta-analytic methods. Major meta-analytic methods currently in use are described. Statistical and other…

A series of studies was conducted to examine effects of various types of praise and of instructions and primes on the making of a different/new form or the using of an object in a unique way by preschoolers. Generalization of creative behavior within a response set of a given task and from a trained task to an untrained (transfer) task was…

The report describes second year efforts of a 5-year investigation of skill generalization among severely handicapped students. An overview section introduces the Washington Research Organization, noting its administration and management and its major emphasis on the collection of descritptive data and laboratory research, research in natural…

Four high-school level, severely handicapped autistic students were trained to initiate and sustain social interactions with nonhandicapped peers in a commonly shared break room at two community job sites. The generalization of social behavior to nontrained coworkers was probed in the same setting during natural break times. A multiple-baseline…

Two experiments were conducted to increase the initiations and durations of social interactions between autistic and nonhandicapped youths. Experiment 1 involved teaching two autistic youths (17-20 years old) to initiate and elaborate social interactions with three age appropriate and commonly used leisure objects; a radio, a video game, and gum.…

A paradigm for experimental studies of conversation training is developed. This paradigm offers a way of interpreting conservation training studies as well as suggesting several fertile areas for future studies. (Editor)

An investigation is presented of the degree to which learning sets were developed during formation of twenty successive concepts. (Author)