Parafoveal-on-foveal interactions in word recognition

An experiment is reported in which participants read sequences of five words, looking for items describing articles of clothing. The third and fourth words in critical sequences were defined as "foveal" and "parafoveal" words, respectively. The length and frequency of foveal words and the length, frequency, and initial-letter constraint of parafoveal words were manipulated. Gaze and refixation rate on the foveal word were measured as a function of properties of the parafoveal word. The results show that measured gaze on a given foveal word is systematically modulated by properties of an unfixated parafoveal word. It is suggested that apparent inconsistencies in previous studies of parafoveal-on-foveal effects relate to a failure to control for foveal word length and hence the visibility of parafoveal words. A serial-sequential attention-switching model of eye movement control cannot account for the pattern of obtained effects. The data are also incompatible with various forms of parallel-processing model. They are best accounted for by postulating a process-monitoring mechanism, sensitive to the simultaneous rate of acquisition of information from foveal and parafoveal sources.     

Reducing the serious behavior problems of people with developmental disabilities living in the community

Trends and issues regarding the community-based support of people with developmental disabilities who exhibit severe behavior problems are discussed. Living in the community provides a unique framework within which behavior change programs are developed, implemented, and monitored. Support models for people with challenging behavior need to: (a) program for diversity across people, settings, and activities; (b) plan for high levels of integration in community settings among typical community members; and (c) meet guidelines regarding restrictions in intervention typologies. Increasingly, behavior analysts are conducting analog and in vivo assessments prior to intervening in order to develop an understanding of why behavior problems are occurring. Along with the increase in assessing the functions of behavior, is a greater attention to the contexts in which interventions are applied. The rearranging of contexts, communication training, choice-making, matching people's competence to their settings, the use of novelty, and proactive programing reflect these concerns.     

SLEEP DEPRIVATION,ALLERGY SYMPTOMS,AND NEGATIVELY REINFORCED PROBLEM BEHAVIOR

We studied the relation between the presence versus the absence of sleep deprivation or allergy symptoms and the rate and function of problem behavior. Three students whose problem behavior was negatively reinforced by escape from instruction were studied across several weeks using analogue functional analyses. Our results indicated that the extraexperimental events were associated with (a) termination of instruction functioning as a negative reinforcer, (b) increased rates of negatively reinforced problem behavior, or (c) increased rates of problem behavior across all conditions.     

General Education Participation Improves the Social Contacts and Friendship Networks of Students with Severe Disabilities

One desired outcome of inclusive education is the enhanced social development of students with disabilities. Some have suggested that planned and systematic support of students with severe disabilities in general education environments may lead to greater social interaction between these students and their peers without disabilities. In an effort to analyze this proposition, we studied two students with severe disabilities as they began participating in general education classrooms. Using within-student multiple baseline designs across class periods, the effects of participating in general education were studied across a range of social participation indicator variables. Our results suggest that planned and systematic efforts to include students with severe disabilities into general education courses can have positive effects on their social contacts and friendship networks. Our findings are discussed in relation to policy efforts to establish inclusive education in public schools, strategies for structuring general education participation, and the potential effects such efforts can have on the social inclusion of students with disabilities.     

A Property Level Analysis of Lexical Semantic Representation in Alzheimer′s Disease

In order to assess the hypotheses that Alzheimer′s disease (AD) results in a property level restructuring, loss, or degradation of lexical-semantic knowledge, Alzheimer′s patients and normal elderly subjects were presented with a property verification task in which they were asked to judge the truth value of telegraphic statements which paired objects with their properties (e.g., "Apple is red"). Objects with either high- or low-typical exemplars of categories (e.g., "oak" is a high typical exemplar of the category "tree," while "palm" is a less typical item). Properties were varied with respect to normatively determined dominance (e.g, "fins" is a high dominant property of "trout," while "slimy" is a less dominant property) and whether they were distinctive (i.e., served to distinguish between subsets of exemplars within a category) or shared among most or all category members (e.g., "stem" for the category "fruit"). Analyses of accuracy and reaction time data suggested that AD results in neither a loss per se of representation of properties, nor a reorganization of relations between objects′ properties. However, results were consistent with a property level degradation of AD patients′ object concepts. While there was no evidence for a differential degradation of distinctive vs shared properties, results suggested that AD patients have degraded representations of lower dominant properties and properties of low-typical category exemplars.     

Using videotape modeling to facilitate generalized purchasing skills

Six students with moderate and severe disabilities were taught generalized purchasing skills through the use of videotape modeling in one, two, or three stores and in vivo instruction within one store. Training was conducted within three orders of treatments: (a) in vivo instruction followed by videotape training, (b) videotape training followed by in vivo instruction, and (c) concurrent videotape and in vivo instruction. Generalization probes were conducted in stores that were the same as those modeled on videotape, untrained stores that were infrequently probed (and never modeled on tape or taught directly), and novel stores that were probed only once after training. Results indicated the production of generalized purchasing skills by the students who received concurrent training and by the students who received sequential training. Videotape and in vivo training in isolation did not lead to generalized shopping skills. The results are discussed in terms of investigating the possible role of verbalization during videotape training on generalized responding and the effects of multiple probe interventions on inadvertent learning of critical skills.deceased.     

Nonabsolute/relativistic thinking: A common factor underlying models of postformal reasoning?

Strong empirical evidence was obtained in support of the proposition that nonabsolute/relativistic (N/R) thinking is a unifying commonality underlying four postformal models of higher-order thinking, namely, problem finding, dialectical reasoning, relativistic operations, and reflective judgment. Within the construct of N/R thinking, two dimensions—the basic form and the epistemic view—and two levels—the formal form and the postformal form—were differentiated as hypothesized. The findings clarify logical relationships among the models as well as provide a common link unifying their diversity. Implications and suggestions for future research are provided.