Black first-and second-grade students (N=40) were given instructions intended to induce possessiveness for both a designated toy and a play area. Each subject then surreptitiously observed an experimental confederate dressed in a clown costume play with either the designated toy or another toy. Results are discussed. (Author)

The results of this study suggest a practical alternative to increase the effectiveness of discipline in the home and school. Parents and teacher might well rehearse (reinstate) with the child the transgression sequence just prior to the discipline. (Author)

In order to foster the responsible use of behavior modification procedures in the schools on a practical as well as a research basis, this article discusses ethical issues being considered by researchers and the involved public. (Author)

Reviews laboratory research on behavioral momentum conducted with pigeons and summarizes its findings and their generality to people, including those with mental retardation. Discusses the high-probability procedure used to establish compliance in clinical settings and based in part on an extension of the momentum metaphor. (CR)

This commentary discusses John Nevin's article on establishing compliance via behavioral momentum involving high-probability procedures, and questions whether applications of behavioral momentum can be derived from the theory, whether applications could have been developed if the theory not been formulated, and whether the theory will add…

Incorporating statistical process control (SPC) methods into applied behavior analysis is discussed. It is claimed that SPC methods would likely reduce applied behavior analysts' intimate contacts with problems and would likely yield poor treatment and research decisions. Cases and data presented by Pfadt and Wheeler (1995) are cited as examples.…

Five elementary students with severe emotional disturbance participated in a comprehensive functional assessment process designed to yield a useful understanding of their desirable and undesirable behaviors. Individualized hypotheses were developed regarding relationships between classroom events and the occurrence of target behaviors, and…

Baseline assessments of 64 girls and 158 boys (ages 4-7 years) diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or early-onset conduct problems, or both, were examined for gender-linked differences in behavior symptoms. Results indicated significant gender differences in behavioral symptoms according to independent home observations. Discusses…

Identifies an epistemological bias in current psychological research in family planning and population change that contributes to its lack of relevance in providing solutions to problems: population psychologists simply must get on with the business of effecting changes in problem behaviors. (Author/JM)

Recent research on mass media, with a particular emphasis on television, is reviewed for the effects that the media has on behavior and the use of media in educational endeavors. Although a very pessimistic view is taken concerning the contribution of specific research studies, it is emphasized that one should not underestimate their importance,…

This study investigates the effects of teaching decision-making skills on the classroom behavior of middle school problem students. Small groups of students met for 15 weeks with a counselor who adapted the "Deciding" program (College Entrance Examination Board) as the decision-making paradigm. Coppersmith's Self-Esteem Index and…

This paper addresses itself to whether a causal relationship exists between childhood bereavement and later behavior disorders. The literature on the subject is reviewed, and the substantive findings and methodological problems of previous research are reported. In addition, the preliminary findings of an exploratory study conducted at the…

Self-report data were collected from 100 enuretic children between the ages of 5 and 14 to determine how they viewed their incontinence problem. Although the children were generally unhappy with their wetting, they had a relatively positive view of self and did not exhibit an excessive number of behavior problems. (HOD)

Fifty behavior problems were rated according to their seriousness by 100 teachers and 20 school psychologists. (Author)

Three conditions of behavioral disturbances and impaired school performance (learning disability, attentional disorder, and childhood major depression) are suggested as being associated with dysfunction of the right cerebral hemisphere. (Author/PN)