Reward has been shown to change behavior as a result of incentive learning (by motivating the individual to increase their effort) and instrumental learning (by increasing the frequency of a particular behavior). However, Palminteri et al. (2011) demonstrated that reward can also improve the incidental learning of a motor skill even when…

Functional measurement studies typically collect numerical data in order to study judgment. The new Nanova (Nominal analysis of "variance") method allows for expansion of the paradigm to include the study of actual or projected behavior. In everyday life, people carry out actions that can be described using verbal labels, which are nominal data.…

The effect of unimanual practice of the non-preferred hand on manual asymmetry and manual preference for sequential finger movements was evaluated in right-handers before, immediately after, and 30 days following practice. The results demonstrate that unimanual practice induced a persistent shift of manual preference for the experimental task in…

Two experimental studies test the effect of group mirrors upon quantitative and qualitative aspects of participation in collaborative problem solving. Mirroring tools consist of a graphical representation of the group's actions which is dynamically updated and displayed to the collaborators. In addition, metacognitive tools display a standard for…

This study tested the effects of post-session wheel running on within-session changes in operant responding. Lever-pressing by six rats was reinforced by a food pellet under a continuous reinforcement (CRF) schedule in 30-min sessions. Two different flavored food pellets were used as reinforcers. In the wheel conditions, 30-min operant-sessions…

A compilation of essays deals with two vital ethical issues: (1) in such matters as genetic research, human subject research, and behavior modification, the conflict between freedom in scientific research and protection of the immediate public; and (2) the question of whether ethical guidelines have to be developed for teachers, or academic…

The existence of learning without awareness has been debated for many years. Learning without awareness is said to occur when an individual's behavior has been affected without that individual being aware of the conditions affecting the behavior, of the relationship between those conditions and the behavior, or of the fact that the behavior has…

Today's interconnected technical environment creates unprecedented opportunities while simultaneously introducing risks. With economic, social and personal interactions increasingly occurring in technology-mediated settings new vulnerabilities are continually being introduced. This dissertation seeks to improve extant understanding of how…

A dietary change intervention based on Gollwitzer's (1993) concept of implementation intentions was used to see whether transitions between transtheoretical model stages could be induced in a field experiment. Participants (N = 554) were randomized to receive either questionnaire-only or questionnaire-plus-implementation intention. Results showed…

This paper deals with two problems confronting the applied researcher using a behavior analysis approach. The first is concerned with the need for independence of behaviors, subjects and settings. The effectiveness with which the researcher can solve this type of problem depends on the researcher's emphasis on the examination of procedures, and…

THIS STUDY WAS PHASE 1 OF A 2-PHASE PROJECT DESIGNED TO CHANGE TEACHER BEHAVIOR WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVED CLASSROOM UTILIZATION OF NEW INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA. PHASE 1 TRIED TO INCREASE TEACHER KNOWLEDGE OF MEDIA VIA A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, "THE CIRCULATOR," DISTRIBUTED IN 5 DISSEMINATION PATTERNS TO 2,200 EDUCATORS IN PENNSYLVANIA. A…