Peers as behavior modifiers for problem classmates

Author

Robert Wolfe Solomon

Date of Award

8-1972

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Educational Psychology and Guidance

Major Professor

Robert G. Wahler

Abstract

Peer and teacher interactions with five "disruptive" children were studied within an elementary school classroom. The intent of the study was to analyze experimentally peer reinforcement control of the disruptive children's problem behaviors. Social attention provided by all peers was found to be directed exclusively to the problem behaviors during baseline. Following baseline, several manipulations of selected peer social attention contingencies demonstrated the reinforcement function of the stimulus class, and supported the hypothesis of behavior maintenance from related environmental events. Children were taught to provide differential social attention to the reduction of classroom problem behaviors. Striking decrements in both the mean level of problem behaviors and the individual level of problem behaviors were demonstrated

Recommended Citation

Solomon, Robert Wolfe, "Peers as behavior modifiers for problem classmates. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 1972.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/9911