The process of forming operator schemata was studied in three experiments. In each experiment a greater amount of predictive information in a stimulus item increased the chance of selecting the operator accurately.

Discusses students' formation of concepts about energy, classifying responses as living/nonliving, human (vitalism or activity), and nonhuman (supply or demand). Observations were based on class discussions and free writing, followed by questioning to check on stability of concepts. Also collected and reported are student responses (examples of…

Programed instruction applies what is known about learning to educational psychology. The success of programed learning is determined by the material used and by the construction of this material. In order to construct effective learning sequences, the behavioral end products of instruction must be specified clearly and precisely. The subject…

Illustrated instructions are provided for constructing 32 teaching aids. To be used with blind and visually limited children, the aids are designed to assist the child in exploration, discrimination, and recognition; spatial orientation and association of tactual symbology; likenesses and differences in tactual group symbols; word association and…

The following research projects are described in this annual report: (1) "Concept Learning in Discrimination Tasks," which indicates that kindergarten children are able to discriminate the letters "b,""d,""p," and "q"; (2) "Discrimination of Letter-like Forms," indicating that nursery…

The research reported in this symposium paper attempts to underline a Piagetian distinction concerning object concept which has tended to be ignored by psychologists working along Piagetian lines. More specifically, this research tested the hypothesis that intellectual development plays a role in the development of stranger reactions. The subjects…

Presented are suggestions and 330 lesson plans for the improvement of visual skills of 3-to-7-year-old perceptually handicapped children. Suggestions for the reading program include large screen presentation and use of the Language Master. Possible designs for a classroom learning center for independent learning tasks are suggested. Seven areas of…

Forty students, grades 4 and 8, were given match-to-sample tests on Western art, to gauge their ability to recognize paintings by the same artist. Eighth-graders performed reliably better than fourth-graders, and their matching justifications were more advanced. Prior artistic experiences improved style sensitivity. (SJL)

Examines the role of experience in the use of orthographic structure by good and poor sixth-grade readers. Results showed that poor sixth-grade readers used orthographic structure to speed their matching judgments just as effectively as good sixth-grade readers. (HOD)

This review of 20 years of literature on sight word instruction for individuals with handicaps examines effectiveness data for procedures teaching word recognition and comprehension. Covered are "errorless procedures," prompt elimination, stimulus fading, time delay, easy to hard discrimination, and trial and error with feedback. Two tables…

The contribution of decentration as an underlying component of discrimination learning and discrimination shift behavior was investigated in this study. In addition, the effect of verbal labeling and the relationship of academic achievement to discrimination learning and decentration was considered. The subjects were 120 first grade students who…

THE RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF SIX MODES OF TRAINING TEACHERS TO USE PROBING QUESTIONS WAS INVESTIGATED. THE MODES INVOLVED SYMBOLIC MODELING, PERCEPTUAL MODELING, OR BOTH, COUPLED WITH FEEDBACK. AFTER RATINGS OF PERTINENT BEHAVIOR IN A 5-MINUTE LESSON WERE COLLECTED AS PRETRAINING MEASURES, STANFORD TEACHER INTERNS WERE RANDOMLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG…

This paper reports to two experiments designed to develop a behavioral procedure to teach young children emergency dialing skills. Experiment 1 evaluated the effects of a behavioral procedure administered by the classroom teachers. In the classrooms training focused upon making phone calls in emergency situations. Six steps in emergency dialing…

THE PROCESSES OF EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMING OF A FOREIGN LANGUAGE ARE EXAMINED ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF OPERANT CONDITIONING, WHICH IS THE BASIS OF PROGRAMING TECHNIQUES. DISCUSSION OF FORMAL REPERTOIRES COVERS THE USE OF SUCH CONDITIONING METHODS AS DISCRIMINATION LEARNING AND TRANSFER, STIMULUS GENERALIZATION, RESPONSE GENERALIZATION, AND…

The aim of this report was to provide teachers of preschool and early elementary school children with a brief summary of current psychological research and theory concerned with the development of cognitive skills in young children. Psychological research often provides a basis for procedures teachers use in the classroom. Each chapter of the…