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Hughes, Lois t/#v Counteroontrol as §, *&£$££ M t m M M

imi nsit^»ion t& HI 4iii§a,fi a i M » m& I M &

Motivational Parameters. Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology),

August, 1971# 30 pp., 6 Illustrations, 22 titles.

Operant conditioning techniques were used to establish

imitation in the manner outlined by Baer. Counteroontrol was

assessed in motor and vocal imitation across four motivational

levels. Three levels of food deprivation. I.e., three hour,

fourteen hour, and twenty-one hour, plus a final response

contingent shock level, composed the parameters.

At each level motor imitation was attempted first* After

a criterion of ninety per cent correct responding for three

consecutive days the vocal prompt was introduced. Blocks of

the vocal prompts were alternated with "blocks of motor prompts.

Frequency of sounds during motor and vocal training were

recorded* Countercontrol was assessed by the rate of the

souijd prior to introduction into the session to the rate of

the sound after the prompt with food reinforcement was intro-

duced.

Results indicated that counteroontrol was related to

motivational parameters and was more likely at low motivational

levels * The effect of countercontrol was vitiated at high

levels of motivation. Countercontrol was found to be specific

to social behaviors. The onset of oountercontrol was related

to t!i© introduction of the vocal prompt. Higher levels of

deprivation decreased the number of days required to reach

the criterion set for both motor and vocal behaviors „ Fur-

thermore, the effect on vocal behavior was more pronounced

at higher motivational levels than the corresponding effect

on motor behavior«

COUNTERCONTBOL AS A. FACTOR IN TEACHING

VOCAL IMITATION TO AN AUTISTIC

CHILD AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO

liOTIVA TI9MA L PA HAMSTERS

THESIS

Presented to the Graduate Council of the

North Texas State University in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of

MASTER OF AUTS

By

Lois V. Hughes, B.A.

Denton, Texas

August, 1971

LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure Page

1. Comparison of "ma" Response Rates . . . . . . . . .21

2. Comparison of "ee11 Response Rates 22

3. Comparison of "ah" Response Rates 323

Comparison of "mm" Response Rates ,2^

5. Physically .Assisted Prompts Required for Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

6. Comparison of Motor and Verbal Responses. . . . . .26

C OUNT3B.COf!TBOL AS A FACTOR IN TEACHING

VOCAL IMITATION TO AN AUTISTIC

CHILD AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO

MOTIVATIONAL PARAMETERS

Among the most Interesting and perplexing of all clin-

ical cases are those of children diagnosed as autistic.

Kanner, pioneering the study of autism, set down the

diagnostic characteristics of the disease. He described the

disorder as the "children's inability to relate themselves

in the ordinary way to people and situations from thebegin-

ning of life." The second distinctive feature was the failure

to use language for the purpose of communication. "An obses-

sive desire for the 'naintainence of sameness" and "a fasci-

nation for objects" completed the syndrome (Kanner, 19 -3»

pp. 212-222).

He described autistic behavior as resulting from an

Innate deficit. Autistic children, he pronounced, are "pure-

culture examples of Inborn autistic disturbances of affective

contace Qcanner, 19^3. p. 2^8}«"

Since the time of Kroner's early research a variety of

explanations for the etiology of autiSE has been offered.

Bettelheis vras explicit in linking the etiology of aut-

ism to faulty Inter-personal child-parent interaction. He

stated that it"is insufficient and inadequate human contact .

which leads to personality disturbances® He concluded that

It is the lack of appropriate and genuine emotions on the part

of parents which causes the children to feel insecure and thus

withdraw (Bettelheim, 1950).

In her case study of the autistic child "Dibs," Axline

described her pivotal character as an emotionally starved

child who was antagonistic and hostile. He rejected anyone

who came too close to him (Axline, 196^, Ch. 1).

Several researchers have stated -chat the autistic child's

failure to develop normally is based on his failure to be

affected by the stimuli which are via.ble for most individuals.

Ferster (1961) hypothesised that the social environment has no

secondary reinforcing function for the autistic child. Since

the generalized reinforcer is critical for the development of

long chains cf behavior as found in verbal and social behavior,

its absence could account for the deficits of those behaviors

in the autistic. Rimland (19o'+) hypothesised that the failure

of the autistic child to develop normally is based on his fail-

ure to acquire meaning in his environment. Due to a pathology

of the central nervous system, the autistic child may not re-

ceive the signal or stimulus from the environment. Rimland

indicated that there were four major areas of research which

supported biochemical interpretation of autism as linked to

operations of the reticular formation. These areas of research

relate to (1) the state of alertness or arousal in the autistic

child, (2.) the preference of proximal senses (smelling and •

tasting) to distal senses (hearing and seeing), (3) the autis-

tic child's apparent Insensitivity to pain, and (h) the simi-

larity of autistic behavior to sensory deprivation behavior.

It is simple to see why the autistic syndrome lends it-

self to diverse causative speculation. The strangeness of

the autistic is manifested in apparent contradiction, Hs is

a living study in paradoxes.

The autistic child appears normal. There is no discern-

ible brain damage and the BEG is negative (Eisenberg. & Kanner,

1955). There are no apparent physiological anomalies (Kanner,

19^3). Kanner has made the point that these children enjoy

unusually good health; they are free-from asthma, allergies,

metabolic disturbances, and skin problems. These youngsters

are invariably described as beautiful and well-formed (Kanner,

19^9; Benda, I960), Scores on the Seguin form board indicate

potential for excellent cognitive development (Kanner, 19*1-3) •

Some autistic children possess unusual facilities for rote

memory, while others are musically gifted {Kanner, 19^3).

Characteristic of the autistic is a vicissltudincus lan-

guage development. Although the autistic apparently possesses

the structural capacity for language, some fifty per cent are

mute (Himland, 196^)» Muteness, however, may be misleading—

supposedly mute children have been heard to utter words and

even entire sentences (Kanner, 19^3).

The echolallc, which is a type of vocal autistic, echoes

or clearly imitates the speech of others he overhears (Wolf,

Risley & Mease, 196^) » Other vocal autistlcs may screech*

hum, or babble nonsense (Rtmland, 19^5 Kanner, 19^3) • Whon

autistics use speech, It Is generally a high-pitched, parrot-

11 ke, monotone voice (Riraland, 196*0. Scarcely audible

vocalization is also leading some researchers to conclude

that It is a type of "silent speech [Kartimg, 1979J ."

Some autistic language usage may Include reading and

writing. Kanner (1952) and Benda (i960) recorded autistic

children who accurately vocalized written text with no appar-

ent comprehension of what the words meant. Furthermore, other

autistic children m y read and write, but do not speak (Austin,

1971» Oppenheim, 1961).

But of all the strange behaviors manifested by the autis-

tic, perhaps the most inexplicable is his erratic cooperation

in production of the vocal prompt. To some researchers, the

autisticfs sudden failure to reproduce the sound indicates a

deliberate resistance to vocal imitation on the part of the

autistic (Hewett, 1965; H&rtung, 1970).

In the normal population, words such as stubborn, orneryt

contrary, or uncooperative nay be used to label this type of

phenomenon.

In the psychiatric vernacular patients or clients may be

called passive-aggres sive or resistive * Coleman stated that

"the passive-aggressive personality may manifest the aggression

through pouting, stubborness, procrastination and obsessive

obstructionism- £ Coleman, 19 6k, p. 3933.11 Psychiatric patients

5

demonstrate resistance to being "cured.» When the client is

told that he can improve only by making certain changes, he

often times discontinues therapy attendance {Coleman» 196^)•

In Science and Human Behavior Skinner (1953) identifies

a class of behavior which includes this passive-aggrec sive

and resistive phenomena. The resistance is called counter-

control. Countercontrol is defined as a resistance or objec-

tion to the control of spacific controlling agencies. Counter

control may be employed by the controllee if he judges his

controls to be "conspicuous, " "aversive, " "punishing," or

"objectionable." The form of countercontrol utilised by the

controllee is a function of the type of controlling agency

being imposed upon him. Therefore, in regard to control of

personal freedom, countercontrol -ray take the form of "an

emotional reaction of anger or frustration whioh injures or

is otherwise avers ive to the controller £ Skinner, 1953» p.

3^l3 •" aspects of countercontrol as presented by Skinner

which are relevant to the current investigation are:

(1) Countercontrol is more likely to appear in social

rather than nonsocial behavior.

(2) Countercontrol is maintained because it has been

reinforced in similar situations in the past.

The use of countercontrol as discussed by Skinner neces-

sitates a conscious, thinking organism. At first blush this

phenomenon does not appear relevantly linked to autism, since

the non-verbal' status of the autistic precludes the private

o

events of conscious awareness, ©notional behavior, thinking,

perceiving, and judging (Skinner, 195?» 1969)• However, it

is difficult to see how the data presented by some investi-

gators are significantly different front the, countercontrol

phenomenon described by Skinner.

Bern, Lane, and Carlson (196^) reported "countersontrol"

in a group of educable retarded boys in an institutional set-

ting. The boys were given the choice of white or brown bread.

Although the boys were monetarily reinforced for saying they

liked brown bread, the amount of brown bread consumed actually

decreased below baseline, while the amount of white bread con-

sumed increased above baseline. The increase in white bread

consumption with the corresponding decrease in brovm bread con-

sumption reflected the countercontrol phenomenon.

Hevjett (1965) reported a. "power struggle" with a four-year-/

? old autistic boy. In a program conducted during each meal, the

subject had clearly imitated the experimenter's prompt "go" for

five consecutive days. On the sixth day the subject failed to

imitate the prompt. Failure to respond appropriately resulted

in a five-second penalty of isolation in darkness. If the next

prompt was not net correctly, an additional five-second penalty

was added. The penalty time was cumulative. Although.the ex-

perimenter returned to prompting an approximation of the prompt

which had initially been reinforced, the child refused to make

the correct response for the next seven days. Finally, on the

eighth day the response was again emitted.

Hartung (1970) reported resistance to vocal imitation by

an autistic child, Hartung stated that "Following the accurate

and reliable imitation of the word 'pleaser the subject re-

fused to imitate another word for two full months, even under

excessive prodding [p. 1S3J."

Hughes (1971) reported a sudden and abrupt decrement in

response in a program designed to condition eye contact. After

two weeks in the program and a stable response rate of meeting

sixty per cent or mora of all prompts in the session, the re-

sponse percentage dropped to fifteen per cent and remained at

this level.

It is apparent that the phenomenon labelled by Skinner as

counterccntrol is behavlorally identical to that utilized by

the autistic child. This Is true insofar as:

(1) The probabilities that the individual will do what

which the controller would request are lessened drastically

once they are revealed to the controllee.

(2) In failing to comply with the controller, the con-

trollee nay suffer greatly. In complying with the controller,

he stands to gain in various manners which have been demon-

strated to hold importance for him.

(3) The failure of the controllee to comply 22ay have no

dire consequences for the controller whatsoever. Thus, objec-

tively, the controllee is the real sufferer in most situations.

The Skinnerian analysis decrees that countereontrol is

indeed maintained by reinforoement. However, from the

8

standpoint of the child1s welfare, It Is difficult to assess

what factors are responsible for onset, maintenance, and ter-

mination of this behavior. Is countercontrol a result of

limited verbal training, reinforcement, or some interaction

thereof?

If it is strictly a function of reinforcement then one

would expect deprivation to be related to its occurrence.

Dinsmoor (1952) reviewed the literature regarding dis-

criminated vocal responding as a function of food deprivation.

With the exception of one study, discriminated vocal respond-

ing occurred at a higher rate with increased food deprivation.

His research with rats indicated that the relationship between

discriminated responding and food deprivation was a linear one.

There was no evidence for a reduction of discriminative stim-

ulus (SD) control at high levels of food deprivation. The

percentage of responses during the stimulus associated with

non-reinforceaent (SA) remained constant throughout all levels

of deprivation. Pood as a reinforcer has been used extensively

in conditioning vocal imitation with autistic children (Wolf,

Risley, & Kees, 196^; Hartung, 1970; Hewett, 1965; Lovaas,

Freitag, Kinder, Rubenstein, Schaeffer, & Simmons, 1966).

The use of electric shock in conditioning imitative be-

havior with autistic children is not reported in the liter-

ature . However, shock has been used to condition approach

behavior in the autistic. Lovaas, Schaeffer, and Simmons

(1965) reported teaching social behavior to autistic twins

by use of electric shock. Termination of the shook was contin-

gent upon the subject's approach to the experimenter. The

verbal command which beckoned the subject eventually elicited

S® control for approach•

Lovaas (1966) suggested (1) that electric shock increases

the subjectfs attention to external stimuli and (2) that sup-

pression of incompatible behaviors nay hasten the subject's

learning to attend to the S^.

The previously cited studies demonstrate a relationship

between certain motivational parameters and response rates.

It is predicted that the effect of countercontrol can be

vitiated oy increasing the averslve consequences for non-

responding and by dramatically increasing positive consequences

for compliance.

The purpose of the study vss primarily exploratory into

the nature of countercontrol in the autistic child. Counter-

control is operationally defined as the sudden decrement in

the rate of a reinforced response to a level at or belovr base-

line.

The following hypotheses were examined:

(1) Countercontrol is related to motivational levels and

is less pronounced under extreme conditions.

(2} Countercontrol is nore probable in situations where

discriminative stimuli of a vocal variety are employed.

10

Method

Subject

The subject was a five-year-old autistic boy, Normal de-

velopment was reported up to eighteen months of age. At that

time, speech usage-began to decrease, arid at the age of three

and one-half years, no communicative speech remained# The child

had been in operant conditioning programs during the previous

year. His imitative repertoire consisted of five imitative

motor behaviors. He babbled extensively, but had no vocal

imitation.

Procedure

The acquisition of imitative behavior was the method se-

lected to assess the countercontrol phenomena. Imitation train-

ing of one new i&otor and one new vocal prompt was attempted at

each motivational condition. Imitation of particular behaviors

was developed by reinforcing behavioral similarity to the model.

This is the procedure outlined by Baer (1967) and used with

outstanding success by Lovaas (1966). In this procedure, the

discrimir.a tive stimulus presented by the experimenter is the

verbal command "Do this," followed by his demonstration of

some behavior. If the subject's response is similar to the

experimenter?s prompt, the behavior is reinforced with' food,

preceded by the word "good."

Countsrccntrol was studied across four motivational levels,.

Three deprivation levels were studied: three hours, fourteen

hours, and trrenty-onc hours. The f earth motivational level

11

was shock. Shod!; was provided by an. intermittent D«C. source

placed on the subject*s leg. The subject was administered

two to eight and three-fourths mllliamperes of current, A

metronome set at fifteen seconds provided the discriminative

stimulus for the experimenter to give the prompt. A stop-

watch , a clock, and a variety of food reinforcers completed

the apparatus list for this study.

At each level, the motor limitation was first attempted.

•The motor prompt was a particular motor behavior performed by

the experimenter preceeded by "Troy, do this. " The prompt

was presented every fifteen seconds for a block of fifty

prompts. Two blocks of fifty motor prompts were performed

dally.

In instances where the subject did not reach a criterion

of fifty per cent correct responses within three days after

introduction of the prompt into the program, additional phy-

sically assisted prompts were introduced. With a physically

assisted prompt the subject's body was positioned to corres-

pond to the topography of the experimenterSs prompt, and this

position was reinforced. Reinforcement consisted of small

pieces of food and sips of liquids. Ten of the physically

assisted prompts were alternated with ten non-physically

assisted prompts. The fifty per cent criterion meant that at

least one half of the prompts produced a correct response

within five seconds after the prompt was given.

12

When the subject's response to the non-physically assis-

ted prompts reached the criterion of fifty per cent, the

physically assisted prompts were dropped out. When the non-

physically assisted prompts reached a three-day, ninety per

cent criterion vocal prompts were introduced into the program.

Before experimental procedures were begun with a specific

vocal sound, the number of free operant or non-prompted sounds

were observed. The number of sounds during both the motor-

prompting sessions and vocal-prompting sessions was recorded.

Only sounds which occurred during these sessions were selected

for prompting in the vocal imitation program. The number of

sounds occurring during motor imitation training was recorded

as soon as motor imitation training was begun at a particular

motivational level. In this way, the response rate could be

assessed both before and after the vocal prompt had been In-

troduced.

Blocks of fifty vocal prompts were alternated with the

motor blocks. If the vocal responses did not reach a criter-

ion of fifty per cent within three days after introduction

into the program, the physically assisted proiapus were in-

troduced. The subjects mouth ana lips were manipulated in

order to increase the probability of the response occurrence.

Again, the physically assisted prompts remained in the program

until the non-physically assisted prompts reached the fifty

per cent criterion. In instances where countercontrol inter-

vened, the vocal prompting was abandoned as soon as a stable

13

response rate was ascertained; a new motivational level was

then considered. In other instances where the motor and vocal

responding reached the ninety per cent, three day criterion,

a newer, higher motivational level was introduced.

Results

At specific levels of deprivation countercontrol was

dramatically demonstrated.

The data of Figure 1 of the appendix reveal that the

response rate dramatically and immediately decreased to zero

when the vocal prompt with reinforcement was Introduced. This

zero rate continued for several observation blocks before re-

covering to an average rate which was somewhat lower than the

average rate of the operant period.

The sudden drop to a zero rate and the subsequent con-

tinuance at that rate cannot be predicted from the operant

level. Since the drop occurred with the introduction of the

vocal prompt, the data appear to illustrate an instance of

countercontrol.

Figure 2 of the appendix, depicts the effect of the in-

troduction of the sound "ee" as a vocal prompt at the fourteen

hour deprivation level. Although the immediate effect of the

vocal prompt with reinforcement was a significant increase in

the response rate, this increase was followed by an abrupt de-

crement in response rate. Furthermore, as in Figure 1, the

average response rate following the introduction of the vocal

prompt was lower than the operant level average. In Figure 2,

1**

however, a second increase ultimately returned the response

to the Initial high level observed following Introduction of

the vocal prompt. The second increase indicated the establish-

ment of stimulus control, and vocal prompts began to consistently

bring about the appropriate vocal production. The initial in-

crease when the prompt was introduced, followed by a sharp

decline to a level below the average of the operant level,

qualifies as another exemplary instance of countercontrol•

At the twenty-one hour deprivation level as shown in

Figure 3 of the appendix, however, the countercontrol effect

Fas not evident. Once the prompt is introduced, a few blocks

of variable response rate are followed by a rapid Increase to

a substantial rate. This increase in the response rate is co-

existent with the establishment of stimulus control and the

onset of consistent production of the sound.

Comparisons of the responding rates in the prompted

conditions yield different results when related to deprivation

levels as revealed by Figures 1, 2, and 3• The most obvious

statement is that deprivation tended to reduce the likelihood

of counter-control at extreme levels.

At the shock motivational level as revealed in Figure ^

of the appendix, the response rate does not reveal the pres-

ence of countercontrol. The post-prompt response rate in

Figure k- appears to be somewhat comparable to the response

rate at the twenty-one hour level.

When non-local effects of deprivation were considered as

shown by the data in Figure 5 of the appendix, the number of

prompted trials required for criterion revealed no remarkable

differences between motor prompts and vocal prompts. At this

level of analysis, deprivation seemed to reduce trials to cri-

terion in a monotonic fashion for both types of responses.

The absolute differences in magnitude when comparing the motor

and vocal prompts in Figure 5 were due to the differential pre-

experimental probability of the two responses.

The interaction of response and deprivation again re-

vealed a differential effect of deprivation on vocal responses

as a function of deprivation levels as revealed by Figure 6 of

the appendix.

Figure 6 of the appendix indicates that when each of

these motor responses is examined in terms of days- to cri-

terion, each new response at the deprivation levels was

acquired more quickly. In regard to the vocal response, how-

ever, over forty-three days were spent at the three hour

deprivation level in attempting to condition the response.

The response was not conditioned. The vocal response was

acquired in twelve days at the fourteen hour deprivation le-

vel , and six days were required to condition the vocal response

at the twenty-one hour deprivation level. The motor response

occurred in nine days at the three hour deprivation level, in

four days at the fourteen hour deprivation level, and in five

days at the twenty-one hour deprivation level.

16

At the final motivational level the mild shock data were

consistent with the deprivation data. The time required to

reach criterion as revealed in the shock data in Figure 6,

appears similar to the corresponding time at moderate depri-

vation levels,

In terms of differences in speed of acquisition for each

vocal-motor response pair across deprivation levels, an inter-

esting trend becomes apparent: as the deprivation level

increases, the time difference between reaching motor and

vocal criterion is reduced. At the final deprivation level,

the time difference between the two responses was slight•

In short, increased deprivation'enhanced the probability

of all responses, whether motor or vocal. Furthermore, the

increased deprivation affected the probability of the vocal

response differentially more than the motor response•

Discussion

These data are provocative in terms of understanding some

of the apparent viscissitudes of countercontrol. Typically,

as has been stated, countereontrol is defined as the sudden

decrement in the rate of a reinforced response to a level at

or below baseline. The drop below operant level immediately

upon the introduction of the vocal prompt is of great interest,

because the response does not appear to be under the control

of reinforcement. The sudden drop in response rate seems to

D

be under the S. function of the verbal prompt of the experi-

menter. If, indeed, the onset of countercontrol is regulated

17

by the verbal prompt which is presented in the interpersonal

setting, one would propose that -social behavior is an S® for

emitting the countercontrol behavior. That attention, prom-

ises, pleading, and other social prompting are consequences

maintaining countercontrol seems especially feasible when one

considers the population In general. Coynessr teasing, flir-

tation, and stubborness are established at an early age.

Small children are heard to yell "no, mommy" to her simplest

request, even in instances which in the past have resulted in

reinforcement for the child. Considering the verbal status

of adults, countercontrol could be expected to be even more

pronounced.

In adults, once the concept of control is introduced and

experienced, the word need only be mentioned, and the events

associated with the situation will be called forth (Skinner,

1957* 1969). Once the concept of control is introduced, the

mere suggestion that a person is being controlled can result

in countercontrol. Even if the controller is acting in the

best Interest of the controllee, countercontrol can be evi-

dent . The most dramatic aspect of countercontrol, however,

is that certain individuals will actually act in ways which

are opposed to their own best interests. The martyr, pacifist,

and sociopath are people who exhibit this adverse behavior.

Contrary to the theory that countercontrol is under the

control of the S^ function of the verbal prompt, Skinner (1953)

maintains that* countercontrol is a function of specific

18

reinforcing situations. Avers ire resistance is the counter-

control employed, against the controllee. Reinforcement is the

removal or termination of the aversive condition.

If the experimental environment does not reinforce the

countercontrol behavior, it can be predicted that the behavior

will undergo extinction. The sudden emergence of echolalia

and generalized vocal imitation is reported to follow periods

of resistance (Hewett, 19&51 Eartung, 1970; Isaacs, Thomas, &

Goldiamond, i960). This emergence may well be correlated with

the extinction of countercontrol behavior.

The data on countercontrol in relation to motivational

parameters have definite implications for causative explanations

of autism.

The differential responding at Increased motivational

states does not support Kanner1s hypothesis that autistic be-

havior is the result of an innate deficit. The data indicate

that changes in the environment of the autistic produce corres-

ponding changes in his behavior.

Eefctelheim's suggestion that autistic children need love

and attention to correct their deprived emotional state is in

direct conflict with the experimental procedures needed to ex-

amine the variables maintaining autistic behavior. The data

on countercontrol indicate that a permissive environment may

actually maintain and reinforce the nonverbal behavior of the

autistic.

Ferster*s tenet that social behaviors are not developed

because of the lack of secondary reinforcers in the repertoire

19

of the autistic is in part supported by the data. The data

seem to indicate a definite resistance to development of so-

cial behaviors. This resistance, however, can be vitiated by-

altering the reinforcing contingencies.

Manipulation of food deprivation is one such variable

which may vitiate the resistance. The analysis of food de-

privation as a function of vocal and motor responding, is

consistent with the data reported by Dinsmoor (1952)• Both

the data collected in this study and Dinsmoor*s data tend to

disprove the theory that there is a breakdown of S D control

at high deprivation levels.

The relationship of countercontrol to specific motivational

parameters has been established in the case of the autistic

child. It is suggested that the onset of countercontrol is

related to function of verbal behavior. Further investi-

gation should be conducted in order to determine the parameters

of countercontrol in the normal population.

APPENDIX

20

'>7

P c %) E 0 Q. K 0

C a u. &

g.

o CN in

spunos p XDusnbsj^

Figure l«-Coinparison of !,isa!l response rates before and after Introduction of verbal prompt at three hour deprivation level•

-

Pisure d ° A O J V I ^ 0 3 i J t r a«on i£;£aots-™ Of w b g P^irif^gtes^efore^d

0> c-x 4>

<L> > 4)

d cC W< O Cu o

23

o o

o CO io

CN O CM

U">

SCIN/'IOS J O A O N Z r n O

*o CN

O cn fNj

- Z

o W:Ti( OO CZD PJ co

pq Lh

D

2;

m

O

CO to

Figure 3—Co&parison of "ah" recponss* z&tcz after introduction of verbal prompt' at privation level.

Dofore and hour fie-

Zh

c o u V O-o

in ^ p» O 0* 08 K <0 lft

- " S0Kf7lOS J O A D N H f l O a t f i

K F**

•m ffN»

«* • " *

« y« i

Oi uo

*- k/ WH

e ^ p. o

hJ e* PQ

sa

N «

i/5 <?f

cs

UJ M

O CS r-

Figure ty--Comparison of "am" response rates before and after introduction of verbal prompt with response-contingent shock.

25

* /

O !—I H <

>

GU (£3 Q

pl, O

crj as D O ffi

? 1 V I ^ J L Q H l d W O V d dlO ^ S W A N

Figure 5—Number of physically assisted prompts to criterion as a function of motivational level.

J

rm SIDWCRDD JO IN-JOA-IA Figure 6»~Nmnber of days to criterion of motor arid voce,

responses as a function of motivational level *

BIBLIOGRAPHY

28

References

Austin, A. Speech self-taught by an eight year old "boy®

Paper presented at meeting of the Southwestern Psycho-

logical Association, San Antonio, Texas, May, 1971•

A.xline, V. M, Dibs; In search of self. New York:

Ballantine Books, 1964-.

Baer, D» H., Peterson, R. P., & Sherman, J. A. The

development of imitation by reinforcing behavioral

similarity to a model. Journal of the Experimental

Analysis of Behavior, 1967, 10, ty05~*KL6.

Ben, D, J., Lane, H.L., & Carlson, D. M. A relation between

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