The effect of principal attention contingent upon tem on-task performance was examined in an unruly fourth-grade class. Principal attention was found to be a strong reinforcer in both experimental conditions, but percentage of on-task behavior during team consequences was higher than during individual consequences. (Author)

This review of recent studies on prevention of drug and alcohol abuse among adolescents analyzes components of various preventive programs including those emphasizing knowledge, attitude modification, and remediation of skill deficits to improve ability to resist peer pressures. Missing in most programs is direct manipulation of positive or…

The "PEZ" candy dispenser has been used effectively to deliver reinforcers to moderately handicapped preschool students who display desirable behaviors. Contingency management procedures are described for using the candy dispenser to deliver reinforcers and subsequently to fade out the edible reinforcer and have the colorful dispenser itself…

Use of primarily reinforcement-based behavioral procedures decreased aggressive pinching in a 10-year-old severely retarded female to near-zero levels. Procedures included differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), DRO plus timeout, DRO plus response prevention, and differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior. Results were…

Four third-grade male students with behavior problems were given tutoring sessions by sixth-grade tutors either contingent on or not contingent on classroom on task behavior. Contingent tutoring always produced improved on-task behavior, while noncontingent tutoring did not, suggesting that tutoring was an effective reinforcer. (Author/DB)

Review of 20 studies comparing relative efficacy of individual and group contingencies found the former to be generally superior when academic performance was the targeted behavior. In contrast, no consistent differential effect was found when students' social response was the targeted behavior, yet increased verbal threats were reported during…

An instructional model for improving reading skills of poor readers is described and progress data of mildly handicapped elementary and secondary students are reported. The approach includes curricular assessment and placement in lower levels of classroom curricula, direct instruction in deficit skills areas, data-based instruction, repeated…

Treated two groups of academicians (N=10) with writing blocks with contingency management. One group received treatment in individualized therapy. The other group participated in an experiment in which meetings were confined to discussions of contracting and self-monitoring. Both approaches, clinical and experimental, effected stable writing…

Reports on a study which attempted to determine whether an academic contingency system that successfully modified academic performance and on-task behavior of selected target children would also lead to vicarious academic or behavioral effects in non-target children. Results show that it did not. (CMG)

The paper examines the effect of two types of prompts in eliciting a zero- or low-probability behavior in three Chicano gang members. A general prompt was ineffective, but subject-specific prompts elicited the target behavior (chain of responses terminating in the publication of writing and art work in a community newsletter). (NQA)

Surveys 33 developmental studies using 12 different locus of control scales in the effort to learn how perceived internal control changes with age. A few studies show developmental declines in perceived control, about half show consistent developmental increases, and about half show mixed results or no significant developmental differences.…

Investigated effects of a self-monitoring (SM) procedure on the sustained schoolwork (SS) behavior of a four-year-old. Results indicated SM resulted in an increased rate of SS behavior in the absence of a clear functional relation between ecological variables (e.g., teacher attention) and SS and an increase in compliance behavior. (Author)

In two studies undergraduates with low self-esteem followed reinforcement paradigms. Found overt events to be preferable as reinforcers, although no differences existed between reinforcement groups and both did better than controls. Also found desirable behaviors that occurred infrequently, and very frequent but neutral behaviors, to be the most…

Parents were taught to use developmental checklists to observe their child's behavior and provide a basis for realistic goal setting. Parents were also taught behavior analysis techniques to apply to home learning situations. (Author/PHR)