课堂情境与任务难度对学业求助之影响的研究

本实验以初二年级学生为被试,研究了课堂情境、任务难度、学业成绩以及性别对学业求助的影响。结果表明：(1)任务关注的课堂情境比自我关注的课堂情境导致更多的求助行为,求助方式上,则倾向于工具性求助。(2)完成难度适中学习任务的学生比完成高难度学习任务的学生表现出更多的求助行为,求助方式上,则倾向于工具性求助。(3)在任何条件下,成绩好的学生都比成绩差的学生更善于作工具性求助。(4)从总体来看,初二学生的求助行为不存在性别差异。但在自我关注的课堂中,男生比女生表现出更多的回避求助。     

Effects of implementing a token economy on teacher attending behavior

After systematic attempts to increase a teacher's positive responding to her first-grade students, a token-economy system was implemented as a "last resort". On-task student behavior and relative frequency of positive and negative teacher comments were systematically observed. Data indicated that institution of the token system was associated with a relatively higher percentage of positive than negative comments. Termination and re-implementation of the token system caused reversals of the teacher's behavior.     

Natural rates of teacher approval and disapproval in the classroom

Sixteen classroom observational studies were conducted to determine natural rates of teacher verbal approval and disapproval in the classroom. Rates of teacher verbal approval and disapproval were measured by the Teacher Approval and Disapproval Observation Record (TAD) over Grades 1 through 12. Teacher verbal approval rates dropped over grade, with a marked drop after second grade. In every grade after second, the rate of teacher verbal disapproval exceeded the rate of teacher verbal approval. These rates are interpreted in terms of reinforcement theory.     

Effects of task difficulty and type of contingency on students' allocation of responding to math worksheets

This study investigated students' allocation of responding as a function of task difficulty and type of reinforcement contingency (i.e., accuracy based or time based). Four regular education fourth-grade students were presented with two identical stacks of easy and then difficult math worksheets using a reversal design. Regardless of condition, completing problems from each stack of worksheets was reinforced according to a different contingency; one required correct completion of math problems (accuracy based) and one required on-task behavior (time based). Results suggested that 3 of the 4 students preferred the accuracy-based contingency when given easy material and the time-based contingency when given difficult material. One student allocated more responding to the accuracy-based contingency when given easy problems but did not show a clear preference for either contingency with difficult problems. The implications of these findings for designing reinforcement-based programs for tasks of varying difficulty are discussed.     

PLAY VERSUS ALONE CONDITIONS AS CONTROLS DURING FUNCTIONAL ANALYSES OF SELF-INJURIOUS ESCAPE BEHAVIOR

We compared the effects of continuous reinforcement (play) and alone conditions as controls during functional analyses for 66 individuals whose self-injurious behavior (SIB) was maintained by escape. In every case, SIB was lower during both control conditions than it was during the test (demand) condition. However, SIB was lowest during the alone condition more often than it was during the play condition. Circumstances under which the alone condition might serve as an alternative or more suitable control for escape-maintained problem behaviors are discussed.     

The effects of response cost in the treatment of aberrant behavior maintained by negative reinforcement

Positive reinforcement contingencies can sometimes be used to decrease problem behavior maintained by negative reinforcement (e.g., escape). In the current study, we evaluated the extent to which response cost (i.e., contingent removal of a preferred stimulus) would compete with the negative reinforcer maintaining destructive behavior. The response cost contingency reduced destructive behavior by 87% from baseline levels even though the negative reinforcement contingency (i.e., escape) remained in place.     

USE OF NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT IN THE TREATMENT OF SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR

Behavioral assessment procedures were used to determine the maintaining conditions of self-injury exhibited by 2 children with severe multiple handicaps. For both children, negative reinforcement (escape from grooming activities) was determined to be the maintaining reinforcer for self-injury (hand/arm biting) within an alternating treatments design. The treatment packages involved the use of negative reinforcement (brief escape from grooming activities) contingent upon a behavior that was incompatible with self-injury (reaching and pressing a microswitch that activated a prerecorded message of “stop”). Treatment was evaluated with a reversal design for 1 child and with a multiple baseline across grooming activities for the 2nd child. The treatment led to a marked decrease in self-injury for both children. At follow-up, high rates of self-injury were reported for the 1st child, but low rates of self-injury and an increase in task-related appropriate behavior were observed for the 2nd child.     

任务难度对于返回抑制出现时间的影响

在返回抑制的范式下,以大学生为被斌,采用线索一靶子模式进行了两项实验.实施一发现,在觉察任务中,返回抑制在线索和靶子的时间间隔(SOA)为300ms时出现;在辨别任务中,返回抑制在SOA为700ms时出现.实验二发现在选择任务中,返回抑制在SOA为1300ms时出现.这些结果表明,随着实验任务的难度逐渐增大,返回抑制出现越来越晚.实验任务的难度是影响返回抑制出现时间的一个重要因素.     

Noncontingent peer attention as treatment for disruptive classroom behavior

A functional analysis isolated peer attention as the primary maintaining variable for disruptive behavior displayed by a student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Using a brief reversal design, noncontingent reinforcement was then shown to reduce disruptive behavior relative to the peer attention condition. Implications for assessing behavior disorders in mainstream school settings are discussed.