RESUMEN
We observed 11 undergraduates in an experiment designed to simulate infant caregiving. In negative reinforcement conditions experienced by all participants, a targeted caregiving response (e.g., rocking a baby doll) produced escape from, and avoidance of, a recorded infant cry. Nine participants' caregiving was shown to be controlled by this negative reinforcement contingency. Nine participants experienced an extinction condition that consisted of an inescapable cry, and the previously reinforced caregiving responses of 2 of these participants were resistant to extinction. For both of these participants, the previously reinforced response was eliminated when an alternative form of caregiving was reinforced. These results highlight the role of negative reinforcement in infant caregiving and suggest the need for additional research on the effects of crying on caregivers as well as the development of effective strategies for minimizing infant crying.
Asunto(s)
Cuidadores/psicología , Simulación por Computador , Refuerzo en Psicología , Llanto/fisiología , Extinción Psicológica , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Juego e Implementos de Juego , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
Existing research suggests that there may be benefits to teaching signing to hearing infants who have not yet developed vocal communication. In the current study, each of 4 infants ranging in age from 6 to 10 months was taught a simple sign using delayed prompting and reinforcement. In addition, Experiment 1 showed that 2 children independently signed in a variety of novel stimulus conditions (e.g., in a classroom, with father) after participating in sign training under controlled experimental conditions. In Experiment 2, crying and whining were replaced with signing when sign training was implemented in combination with extinction.
Asunto(s)
Terapia Conductista , Comunicación , Síndrome de Down/rehabilitación , Trastornos del Desarrollo del Lenguaje/rehabilitación , Lengua de Signos , Síndrome de Down/psicología , Intervención Educativa Precoz , Femenino , Humanos , Conducta Imitativa , Lactante , Trastornos del Desarrollo del Lenguaje/psicología , Masculino , Esquema de RefuerzoRESUMEN
We evaluated the effects of an intervention designed to increase the variety of positions experienced by infants in a child-care setting. Six student teachers were trained, using a multicomponent intervention, to reposition infants according to a chart. The intervention was successful in increasing the mean percentage of correct position changes made by all 6 student teachers, and performance gains by 3 student teachers persisted when supervisor feedback was briefly removed.
