An evaluation of parent preference for prompting procedures

Parent participation in intervention can enhance intervention efficacy and promote generalization of skills across settings. Thus, parents should be trained to implement behavioral interventions. The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate parent preference for and acceptability of 3 commonly used prompting procedures. We trained parents of children with disabilities to use 3 empirically validated prompting strategies (i.e., least-to-most, most-to-least, and a progressive-prompt delay). Once the parent reached the mastery criteria with each prompting procedure, we evaluated his/her preference for each of the procedures using a concurrent-chains arrangement. We also measured treatment acceptability of all procedures throughout the study. All participants met the mastery criteria for each of the prompting procedures and showed a preference for least-to-most prompting. Results suggest parents' acceptability of procedures prior to training were different than posttraining/post-child practice. In addition, acceptability rating scores obtained at the end of the investigation corresponded to preference of intervention during the concurrent-chains arrangement. The results demonstrate the benefits of objective measures for studying preference for behavioral, skill-acquisition procedures.     

Experimental manipulation of maternal proximity during short sequences of sleep and infant calming response

This study aimed to understand how different mother-infant sleeping arrangements impact infants’ self-regulation, particularly their calming response. Thus this study investigated the effect of three prevalent mother-infant sleeping arrangements, co-sleeping (CS), sleeping beyond arm’s length from their mother (BAL), and solitary sleeping (SS), on infants’ physiological calming through self-regulation during a nap session in 24 infants (50% female, M = 1.85 months SD = 0.93 months), who were identified as either regular co-sleepers with their mothers, infants who slept in the BAL sleeping arrangement from their mother, and infants who are solitary sleepers (SS). The effect of all three sleeping conditions amongst all the three types of infants with different habitual sleeping arrangements was assessed. All infants spent 10 min (2 × 5 min sessions) in each sleeping condition (CS, BAL, SS) during which electrocardiographic recordings were collected to obtain interbeat intervals (IBI) and rMSSD, a measure of heart rate variability (HRV) an index of physiological calming, maintained by the parasympathetic pathway involved in self-regulation. Infants who regularly co-slept with their mothers had the highest IBI, indicating greater physiological calming and self-regulation across all sleeping arrangement conditions (CS, BAL, SS), followed by infants who regularly slept in the BAL sleeping arrangement from their mothers. IBI was lowest amongst regular solitary sleepers, potentially indicating physiological stress due to mother-infant separation. However, HRV indices during the sleeping arrangements (especially across regular solitary sleepers) were inconclusive as to whether the lack of change in HRV across all sleeping conditions was due to physiological stress responses or greater physiological regulation. This study is the first to investigate the effect of manipulated and habitual mother-infant sleeping arrangements on infant physiological calming.     

Examining the generality of children's preference for contingent reinforcement via extension to different responses, reinforcers, and schedules

Studies that have assessed whether children prefer contingent reinforcement (CR) or noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) have shown that they prefer CR. Preference for CR has, however, been evaluated only under continuous reinforcement (CRF) schedules. The prevalence of intermittent reinforcement (INT) warrants an evaluation of whether preference for CR persists as the schedule of reinforcement is thinned. In the current study, we evaluated 2 children's preference for contingent versus noncontingent delivery of highly preferred edible items for academic task completion under CRF and INT schedules. Children (a) preferred CR to NCR under the CRF schedule, (b) continued to prefer CR as the schedule of reinforcement became intermittent, and (c) exhibited a shift in preference from CR to NCR as the schedule became increasingly thin. These findings extend the generality of and provide one set of limits to the preference for CR. Applied implications, variables controlling preferences, and future research are discussed.     

建立诚信社会应该有制度性的奖惩安排

诚信不仅是一种美德,而且是做人、做事的基本要求。良好的社会应该是人与人之间相互信任的诚信社会。为了形成诚信文化,社会应该对不诚实行为进行惩罚,而且这种惩罚应该有一种制度性的安排,在这种安排中政府的诚信是关键的环节。     

公平与效率：优先性与制度安排的博弈分析

公平与效率问题是人类社会生活中备受关注的问题之一 ,在社会主义市场经济发展过程中 ,人们的讨论更是激烈。有人说公平优先于效率 ,有人说效率优先于公平。笔者认为公平与效率是分属不同分配领域的优先原则 ,效率相对于生产资料分配领域而言 ,公平则相对于生活资料分配领域而言。笔者运用博弈分析法说明 :公平与效率可以通过科学的制度设计可以达到最佳的结合。     

刺激放置朝向对返回抑制的影响:一项ERPs研究

返回抑制(inhibition of return, IOR)是指个体对出现在先前提示位置上的刺激反应更慢的现象。尽管大量ERPs研究发现呈现在线索化和非线索化位置上的靶刺激诱发的ERPs在250-300ms处存在一个稳定的差异(Nd250),但这一差异的方向却并不一致。本研究采用事件相关电位技术(Event-related Potentials, ERPs),结合经典的线索-靶子范式,考察刺激放置的朝向是否会影响到IOR中Nd250效应的极性。结果显示虽然刺激放置朝向并未有影响到Nd250的极性,却对早期P1成分的线索化效应的地形图分布有着显著的影响。这表明1）过往ERPs研究中的Nd250效应极性的不一致并非源于刺激放置朝向的作用;2）刺激的放置朝向会导致早期线索化效应(P1)在地形分布上出现差异。     

Matching, delay-reduction, and maximizing models for choice in concurrent-chains schedules.

Models of choice in concurrent-chains schedules are derived from melioration, generalized matching, and optimization. The resulting models are compared with those based on Fantino's (1969, 1981) delay-reduction hypothesis. It is found that all models involve the delay reduction factors (T - t2L) and (T - t2R), where T is the expected time to primary reinforcement and t2L, t2R are the durations of the terminal links. In particular, in the case of equal initial links, the model derived from melioration coincides with Fantino's original model for full (reliable) reinforcement and with the model proposed by Spetch and Dunn (1987) for percentage (unreliable) reinforcement. In the general case of unequal initial links, the model derived from melioration differs from the revised model advanced by Squires and Fantino (1971) only in the factors affecting the delay-reduction terms (T - t2L) and (T - t2R). The models of choice obtained by minimizing the expected time to reinforcement depend on the type of feedback functions used. In particular, if power feedback functions are used, the optimization model coincides with that obtained from melioration.     

An analysis of several variables influencing the efficacy of flash card instruction

We conducted four experiments using an alternating treatments design to assess the influence of several variables on children's acquisition of number facts during one-on-one flash card instruction. In Experiment 1, we manipulated the order of stimulus presentation; in most cases a higher percentage of correct responses occurred, and mastery criterion was reached in somewhat fewer sessions, when a missed problem was re-presented after the next item than when problems were re-presented in a sequential order. In Experiment 2 a comparison of error-contingent reprimands with no reprimands yielded similar results in favor of the former procedure. Experiment 3 indicated that a higher percentage of correct responses and more rapid acquisition occurred when the tutor and student were seated knee-to-knee than when a desk was positioned between them. Experiment 4 compared the rate of learning in the presence and absence of a treatment package consisting of all three variables identified as leading to more rapid learning in the previous three experiments. Children reached criterion in less than half the time when the treatment package was in effect.     

Responding on concurrent-chains schedules in open and closed economies.

Pigeons' key pecks were reinforced according to concurrent-chains schedules of reinforcement. The programmed average time from the onset of the initial links to a terminal link entry was held constant across conditions while the value of variable-interval schedules in the terminal links was varied. Performance was assessed under two economic conditions: (a) an open economy in which session duration was limited to 1 hr and subjects were maintained at 80% of their free-feeding body weights with postsession food when necessary; and (b) a closed economy in which sessions were 23.5 hr long and no deprivation regimen was in effect. In all cases, the relative rate of responding in the initial links matched the reduction in overall delay to primary reinforcement correlated with entry into one terminal link relative to the reduction in delay correlated with entry into the other terminal link. Although the sum of responses made in the initial links and terminal links was found to increase, then decrease, as the rate of food presentation decreased in the closed economy, there was no consistent effect of overall rate of food presentation on total responding in the open economy. The choice data suggest that relative delay reduction predicts choice accurately, regardless of economic context.     

Guidelines for flash card instruction

Flash card drills provide students with a means to memorize information such as sight words, math facts, state capitols, foreign language vocabulary, and equations. Because of the utility of flash cards in educational practice, information on behavioral strategies to increase the effectiveness of their use may be especially valuable to teachers. This article provides guidelines for flash card instruction based on current research. These guidelines are to: a) intersperse known items, b) minimize errors, c) use feedback for correct and error responses, and d) select an instructional arrangement (e.g., group format) that will enhance responding. Future research may refine these guidelines to improve teaching effectiveness.