Donald P. Hartmann

Some Methodological Problems in Reflection-Impulsivity Research.

AULT, RUTH L.; MITCHELL, CHRISTINE; and HARTMANN, DONALD P. Some Methodological Problems in Reflection-Impulsivity Research. CmLD DEVELOPMENT, 1976, 47, 227-231. 2 statistical characteristics of the Matching Familiar Figures test produce methodological problems in reflection-impulsivity research. The first characteristic is low reliability of error rates which results in 4 problems: frequent errors of classification, regression effects in repeatedmeasures designs not employing a control group, statistically insignificant effects in small sample studies when error rate is manipulated, and underestimation of correlations between errors and other variables unless corrected for attenuation. The second characteristic is the moderate negative correlation between latency and error rate which makes 2 X 2 analyses of variance on latencies and errors problematic. The main and interaction effects resulting from such an analysis may be confounded, and artificial dichotomization of continuous variables such as latency and errors results in loss of statistical power.

The simultaneous-treatment design

The simultaneous-treatment design provides a means of comparing two or more different treatments with an individual subject. The different treatments are implemented in the same phase but are balanced with respect to different conditions of administration (e.g., treatment agents, time periods, and situations). Because the treatments are implemented in the same phase, they can be compared relatively quickly. The design also includes the potential for demonstrating the influence of different conditions of administering treatment (e.g., the effects of different staff members) and the ability to evaluate treatments without a reversal or return to baseline conditions. The requirements of the design, design variations, the relationship to similar single-case experimental designs, and the advantages and limitations are described.

Some relationships between behavioral and traditional assessment

Psychometric principles and procedures were developed within the context of traditional approaches to assessment. In order to illustrate the frequent, if not uniform, applicability of these principles to behavior assessment, we first discuss the differences and similarities between traditional and behavioral assessment. We then point out ways in which, given the nature of behavior assessment, attention to certain psychometric principles and procedures would expedite the development of more adequate behavior assessment devices and procedures.

The Effects of Instructional Prompts and Praise on Children's Donation Rates

GELFAND, DONNA M.; HARTMANN, DONALD P.; CROMER, CINDY C.; SMITrH, CATHLEEN L.; and PAGE, BRENT C. The Efects of Instructional Prompts and Praise on Childrens Donation Rates. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1975, 46, 980-983. A total of 21 children who displayed low baseline rates of donating pennies to help a needy peer were exposed to instructional prompts to donate and praise for each donation. Some children donated repeatedly following the prompting alone, while others resumed low rates of donation after prompting ceased. Of 10 children who responded temporarily to prompting, 4 increased their helping rates when praised but continued to donate when praise was discontinued. 6 additional children faithfully reflected the praise contingency in their behavior by donating infrequently in the absence of praise and at high rates when praised for donations. Both prompts and praise appear to influence childrens help giving.

Social behaviour and illness information interact to influence the peer acceptance of children with chronic illness

OBJECTIVES Social behaviour was investigated as a contributor to the peer acceptance of children with chronic illness. We predicted that children with illness would receive less acceptance than children without illness, and that prosocial behaviour would improve acceptance, while aggressive behaviour would hamper it. Based upon attribution and cognitive bias theories, we also predicted that prosocial behaviour would be more beneficial and aggressive behaviour less damaging to the acceptance of children with illness compared to healthy children. DESIGN A 3 (social behaviour: prosocial, aggressive, no information) x 2 (physical status: chronically ill, healthy) within-subjects analogue design was used. METHODS Preadolescents (N = 149) indicated social acceptance of hypothetical children portrayed in vignettes as either chronically ill or healthy with prosocial, aggressive, or no social behaviour. A 13-item social intentions scale gauged acceptance. RESULTS The hypotheses were supported. Although children described as ill received lower acceptance ratings than healthy children, prosocial/ill children were more accepted than aggressive/ill children. Social behaviour interacted with physical status to affect acceptance. CONCLUSIONS Social behaviour influences the peer acceptance of hypothetical children with chronic illness. Prosocial behaviour enhances acceptance of children described with illness, while aggressive behaviour hampers it. Additionally, prosocial behaviour is more beneficial, and aggressive behaviour is less damaging for children described as ill versus healthy. The potential processes by which peers judge acceptance of children with illness are discussed.

Having your cake and eating it too: A note on some apparent contradictions between therapeutic achievements and design requirements in N=1 studies

This paper points out some apparent contradictions between the hopes (and findings) of the behavior therapist as clinician and as researcher.

IMITATION AND SELF-ESTEEM AS DETERMINANTS OF SELF-CRITICAL BEHAVIOR

This study investigated the influence of self-rated esteem and exposure to an adult model on childrens learning of self-critical behavior. Half the Ss first observed a same-sex model playing a bowling game on which scores were experimentally controlled. Following low scores, the model gave up rewards and made self-critical comments. While Ss imitated the model s performance standards for forgoing reinforcement, few of them imitated self-critical comments. Children not exposed to a model neither gave up tokens nor made any comments while playing the game. Scores from 3 self-rating esteem measures were not related to any dependent variable. Apparently, self-critical behavior can be learned through imitation of models, and self-denial of rewards is relatively independent of other types of self-evaluations.

An Evaluation of Alternative Modes of Child Psychotherapy

The increasing competition for child mental-health dollars, the related growing concern about accountability to funding agencies, and the demands of science all suggest the need for comprehensive outcome studies in which alternative modes of child psychotherapy are contrasted. Critical reviews of the child-psychotherapy literature indicate that the majority of existing comparative studies suffer from serious methodological flaws that prevent the studies from serving their intended function. The present chapter is therefore directed toward an examination of the major methodological issues in this field, which are organized under the domains of general design strategies, patient and treatment variables, choice of measures, follow-up assessments, and evaluation. Alternative strategies for the solution of methodological difficulties are discussed, and studies illustrating exemplary practices are pointed out. Cost-benefit or effectiveness analysis is discussed as a logical and necessary extension of traditional psychotherapy outcomeresearch. Finally, special attention is given to political problems associated with the conduct of comparative psychotherapy research in clinical settings.

Factors affecting the acquisition and elimination of children's donating behavior

Abstract Thirty-five 6- to 10-year-old children with initial low rates of donating to help a peer either simply received a fine for each failure to donate ( n = 7) or also were informed of the contingency between the fine and failure to donate ( n = 28). Explanation of the contingency was necessary to increase childrens donation rates. Donations continued at high rates during a gradual, unannounced removal of the fine contingency, but decreased when children were informed that fines were no longer in effect, particularly for children who had failed to donate at least once during training and had actually been fined. Overall, addition of a distraction or an inequity procedure did not reduce donating below rate reductions due to the announced extinction procedure alone.

Behavior Analysis and Developmental Psychology

Relationships between the fields of behavior analysis and developmental psychology are examined. First, the influence of behavior-analytic research within developmental psychology is surveyed. In the