TRAINING FUNCTIONAL EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE: THE ACQUISITION AND GENERALIZATION OF FIVE-ELEMENT SYNTACTIC RESPONSES1

A single-subject multiple-baseline design using within- and across-subject replication was employed to study the acquisition of expanded “agent-action-object” sentences and the spontaneous generation of this form in the natural environment. Three young language-delayed subjects were trained to describe various agent-action-object relationships with a five-element syntactical form. The language training strategy was a synthesis of the developmental-psycholinguistic and behavioral models. Dynamic interactions between familiar persons and objects were the stimulus events that the children mapped. A five-element syntactical form, previously absent from the children's language repertoires, was trained during individual sessions. Concurrent with baseline, training, and followup, each subject's language was monitored in another setting, the classroom during free play. After onset of training, the core elements of the complex syntactic form were spontaneously emitted by the child in its natural environment. The free-play data reflect individual differences in the emergence and frequency of each child's spontaneous use of the agent-action-object form. The acquisition and maintenance of the specific lexicon and syntax trained were tested by posttraining probes and responses to videotape presentations. These probes revealed generalization and maintenance of both the lexical and syntactical forms acquired in treatment. The main purpose of any language-training procedure should be to provide language that is functional for the child in the natural environment. This study, which documented the spontaneous usage of the core agent-action-object syntactical form in the natural environment, effectively trained a functional syntactical rule.     

Wavelength effects on simple reaction time

Simple reaction time was measured to spectral lights matched photometrically in luminance. When these lights were presented on a dimmer achromatic background, reaction time did not vary as a function of wavelength. Moreover, reaction times to white and chromatic lights were the same. When the luminance of the background was the same as that of the chromatic lights, reaction time increased and showed a strong effect of wavelength. Reaction time in this condition appeared to follow a saturation function. The results are described in terms of the operation of achromatic and chromatic processing channels.     

Stimulus intensity and information processing

The physiological and behavioral literature regarding effects of stimulus intensity on the time course of information processing is reviewed. The physiological data describe intensity effects on the sensory pathway. Reaction time studies show that the effect of intensity on behavioral responses also depends on and may be mediated by more cognitive processes. The degree to which intensity affects simple reaction time varies directly with the response criterion subjects use. The lack of this dependence in choice reaction time may indicate different intensity effects on energy and nonenergy pathways. The literature suggests that intensity affects the time course of information processing not only by influencing the speed of processing in sensory pathways, but also by affecting alertness and the time required to direct attention to a stimulus.     

A microcomputer-controlled laboratory: Hardware

A microcomputer-controlled laboratory designed to incorporate the Motorola 6800 microprocessor unit is described. The microcomputer system is reliable, flexible, and expandable, as well as adaptable to the next generation of Motorola microprocessor components. A modular system design utilizes multiprocessing with separate microprocessor units dedicated to specific functions. This computer, when used with powerful, high-level software, provides a general-purpose psychology laboratory computer system that is easy to use.     

The effects of cognitive style and training on performance ratings' validity

This study investigated how personal cognitive style and training effect rating validity with two different rating tasks. Male undergraduate volunteers (n = 53) served as raters and rated videotaped lecturers. Using the Embedded Figures Test to measure cognitive style, two groups of raters were formed: those who tend to structure information presented (articulated) and those who do not (global). Half of each cognitive style received observational training designed to be congruent with the behavioral rating task. All raters completed two rating tasks: one requiring an evaluative judgment and one requiring a judgment of behavior frequency. It was hypothesized that with the evaluative rating task, cognitive style would be and training would not be a significant predictor of validity, because the training was not relevant to the task. It was also hypothesized that with the observational task training would improve rating validity (overcoming cognitive style), because the training was relevant to the rating task. Both hypotheses were supported.I wish to thank Dr. Kevin Murphy for the use of the videotapes.     

On time differences in searching for letters in words and nonwords: Do they emerge during the initial encoding or the subsequent scan?

Krueger (1970a, 1970b, 1982) has demonstrated that subjects can search for target letters within words faster than they can complete an equivalent search through nonwords, and he further demonstrated that the effect did not arise during the comparison stage. The present study involved three experiments in which the usual word advantage disappeared either when subjects knew where within a display the target item would appear (i.e., it was always the first letter), or when all the component letters were encoded into memory before the task began (i.e., a memory-search task). These data, in conjunction with Krueger's, where interpreted as localizing at least one (and possibly the only) source of the word-nonword difference in this task to the events that occur during the item-to-item transitions subjects make when scanning the letter arrays. That is, these transitions are faster for words than nonwords, and it was suggested that the time difference may emerge because although all the letters from within a word appear to be available in memory before the scan begins, this seems not to be true for consonant arrays. Given that this is the case, part of the word-nonword difference may be attributable to subsequent encoding events that would be needed for the consonant arrays as the scan moves from letter to letter.     

Female workers' acceptance in traditionally male-dominated blue-collar jobs

This study examined possible differential treatment by and negative attitudes of civilian male co-workers and male supervisors toward civilian female workers in traditionally male-dominated blue-collar jobs. Surveys were completed by 53 male supervisors and 327 male co-workers of four departments of a large government agency. Male supervisors indicated they would not treat female employees differently than they have treated male employees. Male co-workers, however, reported they have treated other male co-workers more favorably than they would treat female co-workers. In addition, supervisors, compared with male co-workers, reported more favorable attitudes toward female workers.     

The impact of environmental noise on mealtime social interactions in a residential facility for persons with mental retardation

Four levels of environmental noise were experimentally manipulated during lunch and dinner in a residential living unit for 10 behaviorally disordered persons with mental retardation. During the highest noise conditions, there appeared to be some suppression of social interaction between these people, while interaction rates were uniformly higher during softer noise conditions. This effect was evident at both lunch and dinner. Staff members were less affected by the fluctuation in noise levels, although lunchtime staff engaged in more interactions with clients when both the radio and TV were played softly.