Studied the effect of gaming as an approach to reducing employee absenteeism. A longitudinal study in a small manufacturing plant, showed significant improvement in employee attitude and cooperation due to the opportunity for communication. Operant conditioning also resulted in somewhat lower absenteeism and tardiness. (Author/JAC)

Rehabilitation professionals were surveyed to determine use of behavior management procedures after three-day training workshops. Those trained within the previous 15 months reported more frequent use of specific procedures than those trained less recently. The need for consultants and additional training were frequently cited. (Author/GDC)

In this article infant operant conditioning studies are grouped according to distinct procedures: free operant; discrete trial with one discriminative stimulus; discrete trial with two or more discriminative stimuli; controlled operant with two or more discriminative stimuli; and unrestricted operant with two or more discriminative stimuli.…

Discusses certain factors that contribute to the development of chronic pain. Psychosocial factors are explored with a summary of their implications for treatment. Medical treatment for chronic pain is reviewed and holistic treatment is surveyed. (Author)

The physical environment of the school is often not designed to fit the needs of older teachers. (Author/JM)

The performance of five students (ages 6 to 10) in an adjustment class for deaf children was compared under fixed and variable ratio schedules of reinforcement. During the VR condition, students visually attended more and engaged in disruptive behavior less often than during the FR condition. (Author)

This review covers four general areas: modification of undesirable behavior; increasing competence; generalization and maintenance; and behavior analysis methods in assessing preschool procedures. These studies support the usefulness of behavioral analysis; however, a major problem is the lack of systematic follow-up or procedures encouraging…

The history and main features of organizational behavior management (OBM) are compared and integrated with those of total quality management (TQM), with emphasis on W.E. Deming's 14 points and OBM's operant-based approach to performance management. Interventions combining OBM, TQM, and statistical process control are recommended. (DB)

Describes the biological basis of learning and individuality. Presents an overview of recent discoveries that suggest learning engages a simple set of rules that modify the strength of connection between neurons in the brain. The changes are cited as playing an important role in making each individual unique. (MCO)

The visual acuity of 8 children, aged 2-7, with low vision and multiple handicaps was effectively tested using the Teller Acuity Cards and a preferential-looking procedure with operant modification. This inexpensive procedure was found to be suitable for at-home testing by itinerant vision specialists in developing countries or rural areas. (DB)

A discussion of the psychological impact of the African-American experience with the U.S. educational system focuses on how this psychological conditioning affects African-American students' performance on standardized tests and in college courses. It draws on theories of intellectual development and recent research on testing in African Americans…

Attempts to identify the psychological characteristics that predispose certain children to run away and to survive, often for long periods, on the streets of South Africa. Examines vulnerability and resilience as well as social conditions that mediate the psychological predisposition to become a street child. (Author/GCP)

Research has shown that a school building's condition affects student achievement and behavior and that certain facility design elements can improve the learning climate. An ideal CDC (cost-design-climate) associative environment has a balanced interrelationship among the three elements. Unnecessarily emphasizing one or more elements may seriously…

This paper discusses how to set up and implement a token economy system for students with behavior disorders in a classroom setting. The available literature is reviewed, and it is concluded that token economies have been proven effective in improving behavior among students with social and academic deficits. (Author/PB)

Presents an interview with Peter Harzem, the Hudson Professor of Psychology at Auburn University (Alabama). Addresses such issues as teaching students about behavior analysis, the differences between classical and operant conditioning, reinforcement and behaviorism, and how one can become a better teacher. (CMK)