There is a body of evidence that has linked teachers' verbal feedback to pupils with pupil behaviour. In this study teacher verbal behaviour that was directed towards those pupils that the teachers had nominated as being especially difficult to teach was examined. A series of lessons was observed in a secondary school. The quality and quantity of…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of three treatments of knowledge of results on the acquisition of an open complex motor skill requiring speed and accuracy (coincidence-anticipation). The 75 volunteer male subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. One group was given informative knowledge of results;…

The effects of reinforcement and extinction on response variability and stimulus generalization in the punching and kicking techniques of 2 martial arts students were evaluated across drill and sparring conditions. During both conditions, the students were asked to demonstrate different techniques in response to an instructor's punching attack.…

Research on feedback acceptance in sensitivity groups has consistently found that subjects rate positive feedback more credible than negative, a phenomenon referred to as the "credibility gap." To assess subjective distortion versus actual differences in credibility as an alternative explanation for the different ratings given positive and…

A preview of statistical data from previous studies determined the benefits of positive reinforcement on learning in students from kindergarten through college. Results indicate that differences between reinforced and control groups are greater for girls and for students from special schools and that reinforcement appears to have a strong effect…

Counselor-trainees received positive or negative feedback about their performance in a client interview. The trainees' internal-external locus of control orientation had no significant influence on their reaction, but the type of feedback did. "Success" feedback increased trainees' expectancy, willingness to improve, and receptivity to…

The influence of an individual's cognitive style on hypothesis testing behavior was investigated. Thirty analytic and 30 global subjects each solved 24, 16-trial problems with intermittent reinforcement, i.e., E said "right" or "wrong" after every fifth response. Results indicated that the analytic subjects solved more problems…

The effects of verbal feedback and verbal feedback plus praise on staff training behaviors were assessed through a multiple baseline design in an adult residential area for mentally retarded individuals. Initial results of this study show both procedures to be effective in improving staff training skills. (Author/CL)

The assumption that people possess a repertoire of strategies to solve the inference problems they face has been raised repeatedly. However, a computational model specifying how people select strategies from their repertoire is still lacking. The proposed strategy selection learning (SSL) theory predicts a strategy selection process on the basis…

Observations were made of coaches' interactive behavior during competitive games, and the quantity and quality of interaction between 38 coaches and their athletes were recorded. Interactions were categorized as: (1) positive--verbal praise, nonverbal affirmative gestures; (2) neutral--lecturing, giving commands, pointing, demonstrating; and (3)…

The influence of student task interest and of usable performance feedback on the effectiveness of verbal reinforcement was investigated in fifth graders who received approval, disapproval, or neutral reinforcement. Neither reinforcement nor reinforcement-task variable interaction provided enough motivation to improve accuracy of task performance.…

Cited are two studies which analyzed the reinforcing effectiveness of verbal evaluative comments on educable retarded and handicapped elementary school children. In the first study, a two-choice push button discrimination, it is reported that Ss consistently chose a button which avoided the verbal comment "wrong", but made no significant…

A specially designed unit that provided feedback about voice volume was used to lower the voice volume in six mildly retarded adults. The apparatus indicated by color of lights when volume was too loud, too soft, or optimal. Praise was given in different schedules: for every sentence that met criterion, every three sentences, or an average of…

In an attempt to confirm earlier results with a group of mentally retarded females, 12 mentally retarded institutionalized adults (8 male, 4 female) were trained to either reduce (Loud group) or increase (Soft group) their voice volumes with a combination of visual feedback and token reinforcement. The feedback unit provided a binary light on-off…

Members of personal growth groups were more accepting of positive feedback than of negative feedback; however, receiver defensiveness levels were not related to feedback acceptance. (Author)