Seventy-two sixth graders, stratified on the basis of sex and two levels of IQ (high and low) were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: (1) Group I (success only); (2) Group II (failure only); and (3) Group III (success and failure). These subjects (Ss) were used to investigate the effects of verbally controlled success and failure conditions on three aspects of learning behavior: (1) the level of Ss' performance during conditioning; (2) the number of times each S voluntarily performed the task after training; and (3) the level of Ss' performance following training where they are required to participate in the tasks. Results tend to support the hypothesis that a combination of verbal rewards and failures cause Ss to persist longer in involvement on similar tasks following the termination of verbal conditioning procedures. Female Ss' performance was found not to be differentially affected by the various treatments or as a function of IQ while male Ss' performance was so affected. (TL)