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Three studies, using handicapped children, investigated: effects of three different reinforcement contingencies (positive reinforcement, removal of positive reinforcement, and combination of positive reinforcement and removal of positive reinforcement) on a steady-state discrimination task; effect of a conditioned emotional response procedure on a steady-state discrimination task; and effect of a conditioned emotional response procedure on rate of words emitted. Results of the three studies indicated: percent of correct discriminations was highest for removal of positive reinforcement; no significant differences were found in response latencies for any of the three reinforcement conditions; conditioned emotional response procedures had no effect on response latency or percent correct discriminations; conditioned emotional response procedures had no effect on rate of words emitted. Major implications of studies were discussed. (Author)

Three studies, using handicapped children, investigated: effects of three different reinforcement contingencies (positive reinforcement, removal of positive reinforcement, and combination of positive reinforcement and removal of positive reinforcement) on a steady-state discrimination task; effect of a conditioned emotional response procedure on a steady-state discrimination task; and effect of a conditioned emotional response procedure on rate of words emitted. Results of the three studies indicated: percent of correct discriminations was highest for removal of positive reinforcement; no significant differences were found in response latencies for any of the three reinforcement conditions; conditioned emotional response procedures had no effect on response latency or percent correct discriminations; conditioned emotional response procedures had no effect on rate of words emitted. Major implications of studies were discussed. (Author)

This study was designed to investigate the effects of increasing levels of task complexity on the conditioned emotional response (CER) with human subjects (Ss). Three hypotheses were proposed: (1) the CER would increase as task complexity increased, (2) there would be sex differences between Ss with respect to the interaction between the CER and task complexity, and (3) the CER procedures would produce an increase in variability. Proceeding through three levels of task complexity (8-, 16-, and 32-stimulus tasks), a stable baseline of performance for each S was attained. Ss then received CER training which utilized a 2100 cycles per second tone as the conditioned stimulus and paired it with a "painful" level of shock. Each S was then administered a seven-question questionnaire and the Self Analysis Questionnaire. The dependent variables were rate of responding, stimulus presentation time, and response latency. Statistical analyses of group data did not support any of the three hypotheses. (Author/KP)