The personality disposition of the motive to avoid success (Horner, 1968) is evaluated on theoretical and empirical ground. A situational interpretation is proposed as a more parsimonious explanation of the phenomenon. Presented are a series of studies examining the behavioral effects of the motive to avoid success: anxiety manifesting itself as a…

The influence of an individual's cognitive style on hypothesis testing behavior was investigated. Thirty analytic and 30 global subjects each solved 24, 16-trial problems with intermittent reinforcement, i.e., E said "right" or "wrong" after every fifth response. Results indicated that the analytic subjects solved more problems…

A system of task analysis and positive reinforcement was used in the vocational training of a 19-year-old trainable retarded youth (MA=6 years). The task of polishing shoe skates was analyzed and programmed into 29 steps and was reinforced with praise and money. The trainee learned the task in 13 sessions (approximately 1 month) and was employed…

Four selected subtests from the WISC, Arithmetic, Digit Span, Picture Arrangement and Block Design, were administered to 111 pupils in the third and fourth grades at Florida State University Elementary School. Social reinforcers, i.e., verbal approval and disapproval, were systematically presented to the examinees after specified items and between…

This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of peers in reducing the isolation of preschool children who exhibited very little or no interaction with peers. Selection of subjects was made on the basis of quantity of verbal behavior and amount and quality of classroom play. In a 15-minute dyad play situation which maximized the…

To differentiate behaviorally, success-strivers and failure-avoiders within a group of educable mentally handicapped, two experiments were conducted. The effects of learning potential status (gainers, nongainers, high scorers) and motivational style (success strivers, failure avoiders) on discrimination learning when reinforcement was varied was…

This document reports an investigation of the relationship between maternal practices as observed in the home and the cognitive development of young children from low-income families. The purpose of the study was to determine if lower-class maternal warmth was associated with intellectual growth of the child. Fifty-two lower class mothers were…

A study was conducted to determine the effect of reimbursement of expenses on the recruitment, training, and holding of volunteer leaders in the youth phase of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Program in Kansas City. The experiment was conducted at six program sites during the summer and spring program operations, which consisted of showing eight…

The pamphlet contains explanations and instructions for parents of oppositional preschool children (negative, destructive, or uncooperative children) who are enrolled in a Regional Intervention Project (RIP) behavior modification program. Explained in basic terms are the behavior theories related to why a child becomes oppositional and how to…

AS PART OF THE RESEARCH ON THE INFLUENCE OF RESPONSE-CONTINGENT REINFORCERS ON THE LEARNING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN, THE EFFECTS OF A LIMITED NUMBER OF VARIABLES ON THE PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN OF THREE AGE LEVELS (4-5, 7-8, AND 10-11), SELECTED EQUALLY FROM MIDDLE- AND LOWER-CLASS BACKGROUNDS, WERE INVESTIGATED. THE EXPERIMENTAL…

A three-school study suggests that more intensive teacher effort, more attention to contriving successful pupil reading experiences, and freer delivery of "payoffs" to pupils who are reading, offer the possibility of modifying pupil attitudes about reading. (Author/RL)

Four normal preschool children and four with comprehensive academic and behavior problems were taught to judge the quality of their academic work in a classroom, and to prompt or cue their teachers to comment about the quality of that work. (Author)

Positive teacher affect, as measured by student reports, was not found to be positively related to achievement. There was a significant inverse relationship among low-socioeconomic-status students. ( JD)

Describes some of the benefits of systematic behavior modification at the elementary level. Elementary school discipline is examined, not as a set of responses to deviancy and delinquency, but as an integral part of generic concepts of classroom management and instruction. (Author)