Notes how preceding articles expand the repertoire of theory-relevant assessments of attachment, with a special emphasis on Ainsworth's concept of the secure base. Focuses on a number of issues raised by this collection that are particularly promising for theory development, including assessment of secure-base behavior and maternal sensitivity,…

Characterizes instructional practices that prevent discipline problems by encouraging learning and appropriate behavior from behavior analytic perspective. Notes that basic assumption of this perspective is that effective teaching strategies also serve managerial functions through development of stimulus control and management of behavioral…

Analog baselines are an experimental methodology for identifying the functions of maladaptive behavior of individuals with developmental disabilities in naturally occurring environments. This article identifies potential limitations of this methodology, including: fidelity of baseline design conditions, a narrow analysis of behavior, and limited…

This study examined how 3 students (ages 14-18, with emotional or behavioral disorders) allocated their responding across 2 concurrently available tasks associated with unequal rates and equal versus unequal qualities of reinforcement. It found that time allocated to concurrent response alternatives was approximately proportional to obtained…

This commentary on the use of gentle teaching with individuals with developmental disabilities examines the method's assumptions, describes its use of behavioral techniques, and criticizes its ineffectiveness. (JDD)

Extends control systems theory to analyze purposive collective behaviors, ranging from simple to complex, involving small and large groups. Suggests that complex collective phenomena can be explained as the repetition or combination of individual and collective sequences of action. Posits that control systems theory can be used to elucidate…

Describes the Giffen effect: demand for a commodity increases as price increases. Explains how applying control theory eliminates the paradox that the Giffen effect presents to classic economics supply and demand theory. Notes the differences in how conventional demand theory and control theory treat consumer behavior. (CH)

This paper, on the potential contributions of performance science to education, defines performance and performance science, distinguishes between behavior and performance, presents tactics for presenting instruction, presents tactics for designing training, and outlines how to decide which accomplishments are valuable enough to include in a…

Explains the use of pigeons in behavioral psychology research for modeling human behavior and discusses instructional objectives for humans. Topics addressed include the relationship between response rate and reinforcer rate; resistance to alternative reinforcement; choice and matching; and persistence and reinforcement. (Contains 11 references.)…

An experimental analysis of imitation was conducted to examine the influence of response topography on generalization of imitation across three response types with four children (ages two to four) with autism. The study found that imitation generalized from reinforced training models to nonreinforced probe models within a response type but did not…

The field of behavior analysis has not learned how to develop interventions that rely on positive reinforcement for all participants, including the normal adults who implement them. Thus, the field has not learned how to avoid evoking countercontrol. Establishment of collaborative relationships with the people targeted for help is suggested. (JDD)

Practitioners of applied behavior analysis need to create a model for developing and evaluating behavioral technology consistent with the approach of other natural sciences. The model should focus on developing an experimental literature that is comprehensive in both its attempt to understand target behaviors and its search for the how and why of…

Discussion of instructional systems development (ISD) focuses on recent developments in cognitive task analysis and describes the Integrated Task Analysis Model, a framework for integrating cognitive and behavioral task analysis methods within the ISD model. Three components of expertise are analyzed: skills, knowledge, and mental models. (96…

A review of research on state behavior among students with profound disabilities is presented, and a model depicting interactions of state with endogenous and exogenous variables is offered. Applications of the model are illustrated through four case studies displaying different state patterns. Measurable attributes of state having implications…

This editorial discusses the "Child Development" journal's 25 percent manuscript acceptance rate, the publishing of good papers, the absence of editorial bias in the journal, and the conservatism of scientific research. The increase in studies of adolescent development is noted. Editorial and writing standards are stressed. (BC)