THE INFLUENCE OF BEHAVIOR PRECEDING A REINFORCED RESPONSE ON BEHAVIOR CHANGE IN THE CLASSROOM1

The influence of behavior that immediately precedes a reinforced target response on the effectiveness of a reinforcement contingency was examined in two experiments with mentally retarded children in a special-education classroom. Two reinforcement schedules were examined in each experiment. For each schedule, a prespecified period of attentive behavior served as the target response. The schedules differed in whether inattentive or attentive behavior was required immediately to precede the target response. These schedules were examined with one child in a simultaneous treatment design using praise as the reinforcer (Experiment I), and with two children in separate reversal designs using tokens as the reinforcer (Experiment II). While attentive behavior increased under each schedule, the increase was greater when attentive rather than inattentive behavior preceded the reinforced response. The results indicated that the effect of a contingency may be determined not only by the specific response reinforced but also by the behavior that immediately precedes that response.     

小学高年级儿童的内隐智力理论及其与表扬的关系

以101名小学五年级的儿童为被试,采用实验法考察小学高年级儿童内隐智力理论的特点,及不同归因取向的表扬对儿童内隐智力理论的影响。结果表明:(1)三组儿童对智力不可控性的得分显著低于中值,说明小学高年级儿童持有智力的发展观;控制组对努力因素的重要性评定显著高于能力因素,说明小学高年级儿童强调努力的重要性;(2)接受能力取向表扬的儿童对智力不可控性的得分显著高于接受努力取向表扬的儿童和控制组,表明能力取向的表扬使儿童倾向于认为智力是不可控的。     

INCREASING CUSTOMER SERVICE BEHAVIORS USING MANAGER‐DELIVERED TASK CLARIFICATION AND SOCIAL PRAISE

This project assessed an intervention to improve employee customer service behaviors (correct greetings and closing behaviors). A combination of task clarification and manager‐delivered social praise resulted in increased correct greeting from 11.5% to 66% and correct closing from 8% to 70%. The effect was maintained at a 48‐week follow‐up for employees who were present during the initial study period, but not for more recently hired employees. The results suggest that task clarification combined with manager‐delivered social praise is an effective way to improve employee customer service behaviors.     

Language preference and reinforcing efficacy of praise in bilingual children with disabilities

We conducted a stimulus preference assessment to identify preference for praise delivered in English versus Spanish for bilingual students. Next, a concurrent-operant reinforcer assessment was used to evaluate the reinforcer efficacy of praise in each language. Participants showed limited to no preference for one language over another. One participant showed a slight preference for Spanish praise and Spanish praise functioned as a slightly more potent reinforcer. If a participant did not prefer a specific language of praise (i.e., undifferentiated preference or equal percentage of approaches), both languages were considered to be similarly reinforcing.     

Functional analysis and operant treatment of food guarding in a pet dog

The present study extended functional analysis (FA) methodology to human-directed resource guarding in a dog in an in-home setting. The subject underwent four conditions including control, attention, escape, and tangible, arranged in a modified FA. The results indicated multiply controlled resource guarding (i.e., escape, attention, and tangible functions). The experimenter then conducted a treatment evaluation involving three function-based treatments in a concurrent multiple baseline design. Resource guarding decreased to zero levels in treatments for each maintaining contingency. Treatment effects were maintained when the subject was tested with an owner, with an untrained handler, a highly preferred treat, in an untrained setting, as well as after 2 weeks in the absence of training. Behavior analytic techniques may hold promise for lasting behavior change for resource guarding in domestic dogs, and should be examined in other populations and with other canine problem behavior.     

表扬对儿童内在动机影响的元分析

以儿童为被试群体,运用元分析的方法对表扬和内在动机的关系进行探讨。通过中英文献检索,共有16篇文献30个独立样本符合元分析标准(N=2339)。元分析的结果表明,表扬与动机、坚持性和自我评价成分皆呈现正向中等效应量,表扬对儿童内在动机具有促进作用。调节效应检验发现,年龄对表扬-坚持性和表扬-自我评价成分不具有显著调节作用,性别(男生比)对表扬-坚持性和表扬-自我评价成分不具有显著调节作用,文化背景对表扬-坚持性具有更显著的预测性,表现为西方文化背景下高于东方。     

Some effects of praise during the escape condition of the functional analysis

Many researchers provide praise for complying with demands during the escape condition of the functional analysis (FA). However, praise may function as a reinforcer for some individuals which may reduce the aversiveness of task presentation or increase behavior that competes with problem behavior (e.g., compliance with demands). In general, this may result in lower or less stable levels of problem behavior and decrease the efficiency of the FA. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate some effects of praise on the rate of problem behavior and compliance during the escape condition of the FA in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. We found that praise did not affect the rate of problem behavior but did increase compliance in three of five subjects. The results of the study and implications for the assessment of problem behavior are discussed.     

The Roles of Praise and Social Comparison Information in the Experience of Pride

Abstract

The authors examined the roles of social comparisons, publicity of success, and praise on the experience of pride in an experiment in which college students successfully completed a timed intelligence task in private and later received 1 of 4 types of feedback from the experimenter: no feedback (private), mere public acknowledgment of completion, general praise containing both a public and an evaluative component, or praise containing explicit comparison information. Half of the participants also received written normative information suggesting they performed at a high level. Participants then completed a number of dependent measures, including a key measure of pride. Overall, results suggest that the public aspect of a performance, together with the superior standing suggested by any praise accompanying this publicity, is important in the experience of pride.     

THE EFFECTS OF MODELLING ON THE CONTINGENT PRAISE OF MENTAL RETARDATION COUNSELLORS

A multiple-baseline design was used to evaluate the effects of a simple modelling procedure on the contingent praise of five counsellors while they conducted hygiene-training sessions in toothbrushing and hand-and-face washing with severely retarded children. After varying numbers of baseline sessions, each counsellor watched a model who conducted a series of toothbrushing sessions, in which he conspicuously praised correct toothbrushing responses and approximations to correct responses. No modelling occurred during hand-and-face washing sessions. As a result of several exposures to the model's performance, levels of response-contingent praise provided by four of the five counsellors during toothbrushing sessions increased sharply over baseline. The levels of counsellor praise showed parallel increases during hand-and-face washing sessions. A two-week followup showed that the levels of praise obtained through modelling were maintained in the model's absence.     

Developing positive social-emotional behaviors: a study of training and generalization effects

Four handicapped children were taught four positive social-emotional behaviors: smiling, sharing, positive physical contacting, and verbal complimenting, using instructions, modelling, and praise. Rates of these behaviors were shown to increase in four trained subjects using a within-subject multiple-baseline experimental design. The generality of the behavior change was investigated by integrating three untrained subjects with the trained subjects in a setting free of adult-imposed contingencies and through a series of follow-up observations. Three trained subjects evidenced collateral increases in the generalization setting on at least one other behavior when training in smiling was conducted. One trained subject showed generalization session increases for each behavior when training was conducted to increase that behavior. All three untrained subjects demonstrated increased rates of smiling and sharing when interventions were conducted to increase those behaviors with the trained subjects. There was no appreciable generalization of verbal complimenting by either the trained or the untrained subjects. Both trained and untrained subjects generally maintained their increased rates of smiling, sharing, and positive physical contacting across four weeks of follow-up observations.