The Rescorla-Wagner model is one of the cornerstones of learning theory. However, many students in undergraduate courses find the model's concepts difficult to grasp, and the model is often the students' first exposure to computational models in psychology. This article describes an interactive simulation based on an Excel(r) spreadsheet program…

By watching and responding to the way a shill answered "yes-no" questions about food items, a developmentally delayed preschool boy greatly improved over his poor base-line "yes-no" answers to these same items. He was also able to give correct answers subsequently during generalization probe sessions. (PS)

Contrary to widely held belief, Watons and Rayner's (1920) experiment with Little Albert is not first reported case of classical conditioning of a child. Their work was preceded by that of Bogen and of Krasnogorskii. Mateer's work either preceded or coincided with Watons and Rayner's. This article clarifies chronology of these early studies of…

Examines preschool learning efforts by children (aged three to five), which also involved parents to a degree. Reviews results and recommendations. Discusses a model whereby parents, as learner/teachers, start the lifelong learning process of their children at birth. (CH)

Provides an overview on the subject of punishment and alternative procedures to decelerate a behavior. Describes differential reinforcement, extinction, satiation, corrective feedback, using peers as models and rearranging the environment as positive and nonaversive procedures for decreasing a behavior. (LLL)

Reviews behavioral and psychological concepts currently applied to the assessment and treatment of chronic pain syndromes, including operant conditioning and psychophysiologic concepts such as the stress-pain hypothesis, the pain-muscle spasm-pain cycle, and the neuromuscular pain model. Discusses relaxation and biofeedback training and concepts…

The heat collecting capacity of the earth and or the earth's ground waters and surface waters exist as potential energy sources for home heating and cooling. Techniques and devices associated with use of the earth's thermal energy capabilities are presented and evaluated in this four-chapter report. Included in these chapters are: (1) descriptions…

This paper presents a review of relevant literature on treatment approaches for the modification of smoking behavior, followed by an outline of an approach developed by the author to decrease his own rate of cigarette smoking. Studies are reviewed which have used various treatment methods: use of electric shock, satiation and/or use of cigarette…

Describes how a behavioral system in Aplysia (marine snail) can be used to examine mechanisms of several forms of learning at different levels of analysis: behavioral, cell-physiological, ultrastructural, and molecular. Focusing on short-term sensitization, suggests how molecular mechanisms can be extended to explain long-term memory and classical…

By identifying the environmental conditions associated with alcohol abuse and alcohol use in moderation, staff can help students develop effective strategies for change. Stimulus control methods are recommended as effective behavioral change strategies. (RC)

Examines how the contributions of animal research are presented in eight of the most widely used introductory psychology textbooks. The authors show that, with the exception of principles of conditioning and learning, the contributions of animal research are often not explicitly acknowledged or are obscured to look like they had been obtained with…

Reviews psychological research suggesting that conditioning and social modeling procedures contribute to the formation and modification of the affective components of eating behavior. (DS)

This paper suggests ways in which educators can help students develop responsibility, as well as academic skills and intellectual growth. The four steps in decision-making are outlined to show that decision and action should follow logically once the behavior and its consequences have been identified. A technique referred to as contracting is…

This paper presents a model for school psychologists to instruct parents in behavior modification procedures for use with their children. This model, designed for use by individuals who have a basic working knowledge of operant conditioning and applied behavior analysis procedures, consists of three training sessions which are outlined with…