Charles R. Greenwood

Differential Effects of Reinforcing Topographic Components of Social Interaction Analysis and Direct Replication

This study investigated the effects of reinforcing, singly and in combination, three topographic components of social interaction among socially withdrawn children assigned to an experimental class setting. These were: (a) initiating positive interactions with others (START); (b) responding to positive initiations by others (ANSWER); and (c) maintaining social interactions over time (CONTINUE). Three groups of six children each, with low peer interaction rates and enrolled in grades I to 6, served as subjects. Three experiments are reported. In experiments I and 2, the above topographic components were selectively reinforced in differing orders. In experiment 3, these components were reinforced simultaneously within ongoing social interactions. Results showed that reinforcement of Starts and Answers suppressed interactive behavior, while reinforcement of Continuing and overall time spent engaged in interactive behavior produced powerful and replicable increases in child social interaction.

The Program for Academic Survival Skills (PASS): Effects on Student Behavior and Achievement.

Abstract The effects of the Program for Academic Survival Skills (PASS), a group behavior management program, on behavioral observation data and standardized achievement test measures were investigated. Fifty-four of the 96 selected low-achieving, low-survival-skill students of normal IQ were assigned to an experimental condition in which their teachers used PASS. The remaining 42 were assigned to a control condition. Results indicated PASS produced significant gains in survival skills during its operation and one week following program termination in both reading and mathematics periods across grades 1–3. Findings for achievement indicated a significant gain for first-grade experimentals only in reading, with a similar but nonsignificant gain for first-grade mathematics.

The durability of student behavior change: A comparative analysis at follow-up*

This study investigated the maintenance of classroom behavior changes produced by the Program for Academic Survival Skills (PASS). The PASS program only and two maintenance enhancement conditions were contrasted to a notreatment control group at 1 week following the program, 3 weeks following the enhancement conditions, and at 6 weeks following termination of all procedures. Results indicated the procedures contained in the PASS program were sufficient to produce maintenance over a 9-week period.