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The present study explored the effects of a modified, intensive tact instruction intervention on the emission of spontaneous, or unprompted, mands and tacts during play in two typically developing, preschool siblings. Intensive tact instruction involved presenting each participant 100 opportunities per session to tact stimuli prior to engaging in play. Picture cards were used as the tacting stimuli, which varied across five categories and five sets. Participants were reinforced for correct tacting responses or were conversely corrected for inaccurate or omitted responses. When compared to baseline, both participants exhibited increase in spontaneous tacts following such instruction. Mands only increased slightly for one participant. This study adds to the research on the positive effect of using intensive tact instruction to help typically developing yet linguistically diverse children communicate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher-order thinking is one of the defining characteristics of higher education, yet the rating of such behavior has been neither reliable nor valid. Recent research involving the use of categories has yielded relatively high inter-rater reliability, with nominal categories of behavior identified. The current study applies an ordinal-scale model of hierarchical complexity (MHC) to educational tasks. The initial results suggest that the MHC can be used to score questions with varying degrees of complexity and support, and that future research should concentrate on determining the reliability and validity of this scoring system for educational purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Model of Hierarchical Complexity provides the basis to introduce and define how task actions are sequenced. It is applied to organizational and institutional atmosphere and its develop-mental relationship with individuals. We define and discuss stages of development as well as contingencies in workplace settings. We explain how a particular workplace's atmosphere specifies contingencies. Research is introduced to illuminate the concepts. We characterize the hierarchical complexity of peoples' work and of organizations in which they work. Formal stage organizations are characterized by bureaucracy, and one-dimensional logically-understood regulations. Systematic stage organizations look to the purpose of regulations, balance multiple relationships to achieve goals. Metasystematic stage organizations value creativity over conformity. We propose that the hierarchical complexity of the contingencies that constitute a particular workplace atmosphere affects how the individuals within it behave. Individuals' stage of performance is described by the hierarchical complexity of the task demands and contingencies that they discriminate and prefer. "Power" is explained as the behavioral control of contingencies that distribute reinforcement and reinforcement opportunity. We discuss the role of power in setting favorable conditions that reinforce individuals' development. Preliminary results of this research indicate that workplace atmosphere typically places a ceiling on individual moral development rather than encouraging development to the highest stages. The concepts are applied to the future of institutions such as research universities and organizations. Many companies have short lives because they become less creative over time. Their present "successful" culture resists innovation. Research universities and start-ups are the exceptional organizations. Some of the new start-ups are organized using Metasystematic principles such as Google. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]