This paper deals with problems of measuring change in motor behavior. Conventional measurement procedures and statistical analyses involving change are presented in the first section. This section discusses difference scores as the criterion measure and the use of all scores as the dependent variables. This latter category involves using either…

This study examined the relationship of tutorial enrichment of cognitive processes and reinforcement of lengthened response latency to measurements of impulsivity in 3- and 4-year-old children in a typical preschool setting. In a pretest-posttest control group design, 48 impulsive subjects (24 male and 24 female) were randomly assigned to tutorial…

Wilderness, as a state of mind, has persisted among men since the beginning of time. Written history has documented man's struggle with and against it. It has only been during the last century that man, in a societal context, has designated vast tracts of land as wilderness. The extent to which wilderness attributes are perceived and the meaning…

Presented is an overview of the history and current methods and a review of some critical issues related to behavior modification. Behavior modification is defined, and examples of methods such as positive reinforcement, aversive control, and systematic desensitization are provided. Summarized are evaluations of the effectiveness of behavior…

Internal-External Locus of Control refers to the extent to which persons perceive contingency relationships between their actions and subsequent outcomes. Those who believe they have some control over payoffs in their lives are called "Internals.""Externals," on the other hand, believe consequences are directed by agents outside of themselves.…

A field experiment was carried out at the Recruit Training Command, San Diego, to test the effectiveness of utilizing the PLATO IV computer-based, on-line system for behavior change training. Some 38 company commanders were randomly assigned to experimental (training) or control (no training) groups. Programs were developed to: (1) assess the…

This is a report of a training program for preparing paraprofessionals to work with the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Forty paraprofessionals and 200 deaf and hard-of-hearing children participated in the program in a camping setting. During the first week the trainees received instruction in behavior modification and communication skills, child…

Described is the parent education component of a St. Louis, Missouri, program for the severely handicapped (5-21 years old) which focused on instruction in behavior modification skills. Noted are the organization of the first program of 10 weekly sessions, a continuation program for parents who completed the first program, the "hard to reach"…

Artificial data were used to assess the correlation between several estimates of average student change in various schools and the "true" impact of those schools. Results indicate that all estimates involving pretest-posttest differences measure school impact with reasonable accuracy. It is important to measure change over the entire…

A person's actions are caused by the interaction of external environmental forces and internal personal forces. Attributing actions to one or the other set of forces is a distorted view of cause. In therapy, attributing actions to external forces, particularly past events, relieves the client of guilt and makes sense out of his actions.…

Until recently, the use of contingency contracting has been largely an issue of theory and discussion with little experimental research evidence gathered to support efficacy. Two major reasons for this problem are suggested and discussed: (1) the concept of contingency contracting has not been adequately defined nor its minimal requirements…

This document contains the reports of research at a symposium on "Altered States of Consciousness and Alcohol." The participants primarily agreed that alcohol induces an altered state of consciousness similar to other drugs, but that this phenomenon has not been explicitly stated due to the current interest in newer and more novel drugs. The…

One hundred and two first-time fathers responded to a questionnaire regarding their preparation for and adaptation to fatherhood. Most fathers had little preparation for their role and participated minimally in the day-to-day care of their new baby. Wanting to return to the pre-baby days was significantly related to the wife's complaining about…

This study analyzed the mental distractions of students while reading a text. Ss were asked to press a switch to record mental distractions as they occurred, and a treatment was designed to attempt to reduce the number of distractions. The hypothesis related to the treatment effect was that students given explicit training to reduce distractions…

The use of reciprocal behavior contracts with families of behavior-problem adolescents was investigated. Most family contracting to date has involved one-way contracts; that is, the child agrees to certain responsibilities for which he will be reinforced by the parents. A reciprocal contract requires the parents, in addition to the child, to agree…