A behavioral approach to Tourette's syndrome.

Notes that Tourette's syndrome, which includes the compulsive vocalization of obscene words, has been attributed to both organic and psychological factors. Although no conclusions about the etiology of the behavior could be drawn, the operant nature of the symptoms was demonstrated in a case study of a 12-yr-old boy with normal intelligence in the manipulation of responses by varying contingencies of reinforcement. Implications for management and therapy with such children are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A behavioral analysis of effective teaching.

Characterizes classroom instruction (CRI) from a behavior analytic perspective. It is argued that effective teaching strategies also serve managerial functions through the development of stimulus control and the management of behavioral choice. The stimulus control properties of CRI are discussed, and research concerning the effects of antecedent events on children's academic performance is reviewed. A theory for predicting choices in behavior, known as matching theory, is presented that evolved out of experimental operant research. The characteristics of CRI that make it particularly suited to matching theory analysis are identified, and research applying matching theory to children's classroom behavior is reviewed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A cognitive–behavioral approach to the treatment of psychopathy.

This paper reviews research on the learning abilities and physiological responsiveness of psychopaths and incorporates its conclusions into a cognitive–behavioral treatment approach to psychopathy. Unlike other treatment strategies, the present approach utilizes an appeal to the self-interests of the psychopath to motivate him to change. It was designed to modify irrational means–ends thinking, to teach self-control, and to encourage prosocial behaviors. Assumptions made about the nature of irrational beliefs, problem-solving skills, and self-interests of psychopaths are offered as testable hypotheses for further research. (46 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Useful data on approaches to college teaching.

Argues that percentages presented by J. M. Johnston and H. S. Pennypacker (see record 1971-31755-001) are not appropriate as a basis for comparing overall learning of personality theory by 2 groups of undergraduates studied. A dependent variable measured in the same way on the 2 groups is necessary. Data reveal that all Ss (1) preferred a behavioral format to more typical formats and (2) reported learning material better with a behavioral format. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A contextual behavioral approach to the role of emotion in psychotherapy supervision.

As behavior therapy expands to address problems related to private events, appropriate methods of supervision must be developed to train individuals to work with the full range of human experience, using a behavioral model. The authors suggest that therapists’ in-session emotions are an important source of information about the impact of clients’ behavior on others. Contextual behavior therapists may enhance their effectiveness in meeting clients’ needs by attending to the therapist’s own emotional responses. This paper provides a contextual behavioral rationale for including a focus on emotion in supervision, with a four-phase model for shaping early trainees’ ability to use their emotional reactions to facilitate therapy in a coherent manner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

新形势下的高校教材管理模式探索

在高等教育大众化和加入WTO的新形势下,高等学校的办学形式、办学层次日趋多样,特别是学分制、双语教学等改革的引入与深化,给教材管理带来严峻的挑战,传统的综合型教材管理模式已不再适应新形势下的教材管理需要。为应对这些挑战,本文提出双轨运作的教材管理模式,其要点在于充分利用专业化的社会分工,将教材的管理和经营分开,在管理上专业化,遵循教学规律,削除供应冗务,强化质量管理;在经营上社会化,遵循市场规律,通过引入竞争来获得优质服务,从而以最小的代价达到最优的管理目标。     

Experiential avoidance and behavioral disorders: A functional dimensional approach to diagnosis and treatment.

Syndromal classification is a well-developed diagnostic system but has failed to deliver on its promise of the identification of functional pathological processes. Functional analysis is tightly connected to treatment but has failed to develop testable, replicable classification systems. Functional diagnostic dimensions are suggested as a way to develop the functional classification approach, and experiential avoidance is described as 1 such dimension. A wide range of research is reviewed showing that many forms of psychopathology can be conceptualized as unhealthy efforts to escape and avoid emotions, thoughts, memories, and other private experiences. It is argued that experiential avoidance, as a functional diagnostic dimension, has the potential to integrate the efforts and findings of researchers from a wide variety of theoretical paradigms, research interests, and clinical domains and to lead to testable new approaches to the analysis and treatment of behavioral disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expanding the scope of behavioral consultation: A systems approach to classroom behavior change.

Discusses the utility of a systems approach to classroom behavior change. It is suggested that the child-centered focus of behavioral consultation be broadened toward the goal of improving the functional effectiveness of classrooms as interactive systems. Three primary developments that have encouraged the adoption of a systems approach to classroom behavior change are reviewed: (a) increased popularity and use of the consultation model, (b) increased reports of intervention side effects, and (c) frequent failure to obtain treatment generalization and maintenance. Following discussion of each of these factors, implications are drawn for broadening the scope of assessment during the identification and functional analysis of classroom behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical application of a broad-spectrum behavioral approach to chronic smokers.

Assessed the clinical applicability of a broad-spectrum behavioral treatment (aversion, contractual management, booster sessions, group contact and support) previously reported by H. Lando (see record 1978-04050-001). The feasibility of reorienting nonabstinent Ss to maintained reduction was also assessed. 12 of 16 Ss who completed treatment were abstinent at a 6-mo follow-up (75%), and 2 others were smoking substantially less than at baseline. Results suggest that the previous findings are replicable and that this program can be applied on a self-supporting clinical basis. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some comments on "A behavioral approach to nitrogen narcosis."

In a previous article, R. D. Jennings (see record 1968-08598-001) argued that almost no attention has been paid to the behavioral aspects of nitrogen narcosis, and that the problem has been approached only from the physiological and medical viewpoint. The present paper reviews a number of behavioral studies of nitrogen narcosis not covered by Jennings and notes certain inaccuracies in his paper. It is concluded that considerable attention has been paid to the behavioral aspects of nitrogen narcosis involving skilled performance, but that there is now a need to apply new analytic approaches to this problem. (31 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A theory-based approach to teaching young children about health: A recipe for understanding.

The theory–theory account of conceptual development posits that children's concepts are integrated into theories. Concept-learning studies have documented the central role that theories play in children's learning of experimenter-defined categories but have yet to extensively examine complex, real-world concepts, such as health. The present study examined whether providing young children with coherent and causally related information in a theory-based lesson would facilitate their learning about the concept of health. This study used a pretest/lesson/posttest design, plus a 5-month follow-up. Children were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: theory (i.e., 20 children received a theory-based lesson), nontheory (i.e., 20 children received a nontheory-based lesson), and control (i.e., 20 children received no lesson). Overall, the results showed that children in the theory condition had a more accurate conception of health than children in the nontheory and control conditions, suggesting the importance of theories in children's learning of complex, real-world concepts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A decade review of college teaching research: 1970–1980.

Reviews research by Canadian psychologists on college and university teaching in 1970–1980. One group of studies investigated the effectiveness of various instructional innovations, ranging from the learning cell to educational TV. A 2nd body of research focused on the evaluation of effective teaching, especially the reliability and validity of teacher rating forms. A 3rd research approach examined the characteristics of learners, teachers, and courses, including such factors as the background and attitudes of both faculty and students, student achievement, personality and cognitive variables among learners, the training of teachers, and the content and structure of courses. Three general questions are discussed in the light of the available research evidence: whether Canadian research on college teaching can be considered unique, whether it is significant, and whether it has affected psychological theory or teaching practice. (French abstract) (70 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Matlab用于大学物理实验教学的探索

本文通过对高校物理实验教学现状的分析，以实例阐述了利用Matlab进行物理实验教学的优势。Matlab强大的计算与图形功能以及由它扩展的动态仿真环境，不仅给物理及物理实验教学带来了极大的方便．同时也使物理实验变得更加生动有趣。Matlab走入物理实验，为教学改革提供了广阔的前景。     

A behavioral decision theory approach for measuring McClelland's trichotomy of needs.

Describes the initial research associated with a new approach for measuring D. C. McClelland's trichotomy of needs. The method is based on behavioral decision theory and involves modeling an individual's decision-making behavior to determine how the person weights his or her need for affiliation, need for power (nPow), and need for achievement (nAch) in arriving at decisions. 161 scientists and engineers, 149 US Air Force officer graduate students, and 94 management executives were involved in this initial validation effort. All 8 hypotheses concerning inter- and intragroup relationships and concurrent validity issues were supported. The dominant motive for scientists, engineers, and graduate students was nAch, whereas nPow was dominant for management executives. Scientists, engineers, and graduate students had higher nAch scores than management executives, who had the highest nPow scores. Student GPA correlated with nAch, and officer performance scores correlated with nPow. Scientists and engineers who published had higher nAch scores than those who did not. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Low-inference classroom teaching behaviors and student ratings of college teaching effectiveness.

Six to 8 trained observers visited classes (3 classes/lecturer) taught by 54 university lecturers receiving either low, medium, or high student ratings. The observers, using the Teacher Behaviors Inventory, estimated the frequency of occurrence of 60 specific, low-inference teaching behaviors. Significant differences among low-, medium-, and high-rated Ss were found for 26 individual behaviors divided among 7 categories of teaching. Group differences were largest for attention-getting behaviors such as speaking expressively, moving about while lecturing, using humor, and showing enthusiasm for the subject. Factor analysis of individual teaching behaviors yielded 9 interpretable factors, of which three (Clarity, Enthusiasm, and Rapport) differed significantly across groups, and all but one showed correlations with various teacher and course characteristics. Results are discussed with reference to the pivotal role of attention-getting behavior in classroom teaching, the validity of student instructional ratings, and the design of teaching improvement programs in higher education. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behaviorally anchored scales for assessing behavioral science teaching.

Attempted to (a) identify critical behavioral dimensions associated with teaching behavioral science courses at the university level, (b) develop a set of behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) to assess these dimensions, and (c) make a psychometric comparison of the BARS with the Student Instructional Report (SIR), a measure of student perceptions of teacher performance. Based on data obtained from 381 graduate and undergraduate students, BARS had less skewness, lower intercorrelation of ratings on various behavioral dimensions, and lower variability in ratings than the SIR. Content validity and latent factor structure of the new instrument are also reported. (French summary) (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multi-modal behavioral approach to the treatment and management of essential hypertension.

Explored the efficacy of a multimodal behavioral approach for the treatment and long-term management of essential hypertension in a 24-yr-old male. Generalization techniques and community measurements were integral components of treatment as well as data collection procedures. Blood pressure was brought within the normotensive range and stabilized without the use of anti-hypertensive medications. Normal readings were maintained throughout a 6-mo follow-up period. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive versus behavioral–interpersonal approaches to the group treatment of depressed college students.

Treated matched groups of 38 depressed undergraduates by behavioral–interpersonal (B–I) and cognitive treatments, each under 2 conditions. Both kinds of treatment proved more effective than no treatment, with some evidence of superiority of the B–I approach. The group treated by the B–I method under intensive conditions made the greatest absolute gains on self-report measures of depression (e.g., Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale) and also became the most interpersonally skillful. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Research on college teaching: The historical background.

Experimental research on college teaching began with single variable studies of class size and lecture vs discussion. During the 1930s, research on student ratings of teachers began, and following World War II, studies of college teaching and learning became more common. In the decades from then to the 1980s, research moved to concern with a broader range of variables, to analyses of interactions between student and classroom variables, and to attention to processes as well as products resulting from teaching. Research on college teaching clearly meets J. B. Conant's (1947) criteria for a scientific field: progress in theory, methods, and established knowledge. Moreover, we now have demonstrated that educational research can contribute to educational practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)