Parity is one source of automatic reinforcement that increases the probability of verbal behavior that conforms to models provided by the verbal community. Parity as a conditioned reinforcer could explain the acquisition of grammar in the absence of direct, explicit reinforcement. This possibility has been explored in previous research on…

The fundamental frequencies (Fo) of infant cries were analyzed to determine if mean cry Fo differed as a function of the infant's sex or due to the stimulus evoking the cry. Results indicate no significant differences in either; however, males exhibited a tendency to have higher mean Fo. (Author/KM)

Study supported in part by Research Grant MH-13703-01 from the National Institute of Mental Health.

This report examines the interrelations among several verbalization indexes on a sample of 27-month-old children and the relation of this data to vocalization scores obtained in the first year. Subjects, 67 girls and 75 boys, were firstborn Caucasian children observed at 4, 8, 13, and 27 months. Parent education varied from incomplete high school…

The experiment employed Sternberg's procedure to investigate the effects of presentation and test modalities (auditory or visual), and number of presentations on the processing rate of monosyllabic words of varying graphemic and phonemic length. Twenty college students and 20 sixth graders served as Ss. Each S received all conditions and lists in…

Examines whether novelty produces more or less attention than familiarity and incongruity, and whether children's learning behavior is related to these differences in attention. Subjects were 43 three- to five-year-old children. (BD)

By analyzing children's verbal responses to various types of questions, understanding was increased about the impact of classroom questions upon young children's oral language development. (MM)

We tested the effect of a Rotated Protocol Immersion package on the emergence of observing responses as prerequisites for more complex verbal developmental capabilities. Three elementary aged students between the ages of 6 and 7 participated. They were diagnosed with autism spectrum disabilities. The treatment condition consisted of total…

Article devoted attention to the effect television has on verbal ability and development and the manner in which television may serve as a model for language usage. Author also outlined some of the limitations imposed on language by television. (Author/RK)

Three adolescents with severe mental retardation were trained to request snacks from visible three-item snack sets. During subsequent stimulus control assessment sessions, one subject requested food items when no food items were present, two frequently requested a missing item when the two other items were visible, and all subjects requested…