This paper reviews the recent parent training research in which parents are taught to use principles of operant learning as well as general principles of positive verbal discourse. While this combination of interventions has been shown to have greater impact than the operant guidelines used alone, a rationale for the discourse strategy is not clear. In this review, it is argued that the two interventions can be understood within an expanded view of reinforcement theory. It would seem that the interventions used in concert lead to improvement in children's and parents' observational skills, as well as in their willingness to cooperate.