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The article examines testing, maturation and treatment effects in a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. The design is appropriate for situations in which all subjects given the treatment must be tested before and after the treatment, and it is anticipated that each testing may effect the subjects' scores on subsequent testings and that changes in the subjects due to maturation may occur. "Testing" refers to the well-known fact that persons tend to increase their scores on second and subsequent administrations of a test because of familiarity with the format of the test, recalling answers to items, etc. "Maturation" refers to processes in the subjects that act as a function of the passage of time, such as growing older, hungrier, and more tired. Such a design would be of practical importance, since testing generally is the largest uncontrolled influence in the "one-group pretest-posttest design" as commonly employed over a short interval of time. Maturation usually has less effect, though in some circumstances its influence may be appreciable.

The effects of 2 types of school programs upon self concept and academic achievement of educable mentally retarded children were compared by means of a pretest posttest battery over an 8 month interval. Both groups were administered the Illinois Index of Self Derogation and the Wide Range Achievement Test. The 39 subjects bad no previous experience in special education. IQ scores ranged between 60 and 80. The results of the study supported the hypothesis which predicted that EMR children in a segregated setting would show less improvement in self concept than would EMR children in a partially integrated setting over a period of 1 academic year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the effects of the process approach of teaching elementary science upon the measurement of the intelligence levels of disadvantaged children. Experiences in reasoning as well as logical thinking are important component in higher intelligence levels in children. Significantly, the study aims to determine the relationship of the process approach type of teaching in raising general intelligence. Furthermore, a nonrandomized, control-group, pretest-posttest design for matched pairs have been used in the study. The author points out that the application of the process approach has helped disadvantaged children the ability to think rationally.

How valid are the results of marketing research that involve people as the subjects? is it possible to waste large sums of money because of reliance on research systems that have built-in errors, or that show results not applicable to the untested population at large? Since all marketing data are based in one way or another on actions of people, and since people and groups of people are so varied, careful attention to the design of marketing research experiments is sorely needed. In his forthcoming book, EXPERIMENTATION IN MARKETING (New York: McGraw-Hill), the author devotes his second chapter to experimental research designs involving people or groups of people. This article is a condensation of that chapter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides information on a study which determined the perception of students towards life insurance agents after undergoing an insurance course. The problem underlying the study was that of imbalance between demand for and supply of college-educated personnel in the insurance business. An unfavorable attitude was thought to be a deterrent toward college students entering the sales area of the insurance business. Hie purpose of the study was to determine if a collegiate course in insurance principles would change students' attitudes in relation to life insurance salesmen. The design of the study was that of the classical pretest-posttest except for lacking randomization of assignment and independence between subjects. According to the results of the study, college students may be particularly susceptible to life insurance solicitation on a financing plan wherein tie insured signs a promissory note for the first premium. Moreover, college students prior to their initial insurance course may have a misconception concerning coverage afforded by different policy types. A course or workshop should be designed as part of the pre-service program conducted by life insurance companies for prospective employees, with a purpose of developing positive attitude toward the job and themselves.

In examining achievement between students in college biology, one group (N=41) was taught using conventional methods; the other group (N=38) was taught using the audio-tutorial method developed after the Posflethwait model. The Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design described by Campbell and Stanley, was used; students were also grouped by aptitude as described by the ACT composite percentile rank. Both the conventional and audio-tutorial groups of students were given identical content areas in biology during a Fall semester. Results indicated no significant difference in achievement between the two groups, nor was there a significant difference in achievement among the aptitude subgroups. This result is in agreement with Durst, but in disagreement with Russell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author here presents a simple method of testing the effectiveness of a communication using a simulated pretest-posttest design. In the particular communication package studied, the intent was to effect an increase in knowledge of local pastors about the denomination's program in behalf of racial justice, to motivate them to greater personal participation in the struggle for racial justice, and to spur their congregations to a greater participation in the "Neighbors in Need" all-church offering designated for this cause. While the author found a significant gain in information following introduction of the communications package, he found no significant difference in behavior-as measured by personal participation of pastors in the struggle for racial justice, individual contributions of pastors to the "Neighbors in Need" offering, and influence of pastors upon their congregations to contribute to this offering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A training program for class inclusion was developed using an identity transformation and a transformation of addition. From a sample of 104 6-year-olds an experimental group and control group of 21 Ss each were selected. A 10-item test of class inclusion was given in a pretest-posttest design to assess concept changes brought about by training. The experimental group improved significantly while the control group did not change. Support for the operation of internal factors in cognitive development was provided by an obtained increase from first to second posttest scores. 2 conservations were considered to be involved conservation of the whole and of the part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the value of a study of wave motion on the learning of certain principles of physical optics. It determines whether students in a college physics course achieve greater gains in the understanding of optical concepts and principles. Two groups of students presented the study of wave motion in the principle of physical optics. The results of the two different presentations were established from scores on a test designed to assess student gains in under- standing and ability with respect to physical optics and given as a pretest and a posttest.

The article reports on the results of a research designed to evaluate the potential of the science and culture course for secondary school students. The problem is one of determining whether students who complete the course exhibit a significant increase in the aspect of science literacy except that of the substantive scientific knowledge. The research design employed was the pretest-posttest control group design with match pairs. The results indicated that pretreatment-posttreatment growth score differences between the comparison groups on several tests.

This article details the administrative procedures, personnel training, curriculum modifications, evaluation schema, and cost involved in the conversion of a school district special education program to a resource school model. Through the cooperation of university personnel and school district authorities, a model program was developed and used as a preservice practicum site. In addition to serving handicapped children, nonhandicapped children with remediable learning deficits were successfully served. Data pertaining to the child population, staff characteristics, and results of summative evaluations of reading progress are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the effects of a program of physical activities consistent with the Doman-Delacato theory of neurological organization on the physical and intellectual development of trainable mentally retarded children, pretest and posttest data were collected from a Doman-Delacato experimental group and a nonspecific activity control group. in motor development, no significant pretest, posttest intergroup differences were found. Comparisons on mobility (creeping and crawling) and IQ (PPVT) yielded statistically significant gains in favor of the experimental group. The findings suggest the Doman-Delacato techniques may be beneficial with trainables in public schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subjects were told that they were to rate 16 solutions--taking a "break" between the first eight and the last eight. The solutions were actually 16 identical samples of a very unpleasant solution of unsweetened quinine. A manipulation designed to affect attitudes about the solutions which is introduced during the "break" created a new pretest-posttest paradigm for deception studies with great plausibility to subjects. Ss were enticed to write a favorable description of the bitter solutions. In a 2 × 2 orthogonal design one half of the Ss were paid an additional $30 and one half $2.00. In addition one half of the Ss of each money condition were asked to write signed, public-persuasive (consequence) descriptions and one half were asked to write unsigned, private-truthful (process) essays. The $.50-$2.00 comparison produced no main effect for attitude change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence or absence of consistency in the use of modes of conflict reduction as a function of dogmatism was investigated in a pretest-posttest design. The basic procedure consisted in the administration of a pretest questionnaire to 80 Ss, followed by a message (attributed to a source of either high or low prestige) refuting the 5's response, Rokeach's Dogmatism Scale, a posttest questionnaire, a recall test of the refutational message, and an evaluation of the high and low status sources. High dogmatic Ss were more consistent than low dogmatic Ss in the use of conflict resolution processes (p < .05). Within the high status source condition, the relationship of increasing discrepancy and greater compliance was significant at the p < .01 level, while negligible in the low prestige condition. The results were related to, and extended, previous research concerning the effects of personality factors on reactions to attitudinally discrepant information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual instruction in elaborative language was given to 24 mentally retarded children for a period of 18 weeks. Instructional methods were comparable for all 24 children except that the 12 experimental subjects were in addition asked to visualize the words they were learning. Pretest-posttest comparisons of descriptive stories given by the 24 children showed visual imagery to be a significant factor in improving the elaborative language of experimental subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the results of a series of investigations in measuring the science and scientists understanding in selected academic groups in the U.S. The groups who participated were categorized by type. An advance form called TOUS-Form was used in the process. Analysis of pretest-posttest data indicated no significant mean gain in selected general education science classes. The findings suggested that a need for further investigations to determine methods of increasing understanding of science and scientists in collegiate academic groups.

A self-instructional linear program of 388 frames was constructed to teach music theory skills and knowledge to elementary education majors. Sixty-two elementary education majors, divided equally between the control group and experimental group, participated in the evaluation of the program. Both groups were administered the Aural-Visual Music Theory Test, developed by the experimenter, as pretest and posttest. The control group received no music instruction during the course of the experiment; the self-instructional program was the only music instruction received by the experimental group.Statistically significant gains by the experimental group from pretest to posttest showed that the self-instructional program was highly effective with elementary education majors. The unique aural-visual format provided immediate application of theory to the sound of music. The study suggests that much can be learned outside of class, permitting greater efficiency and individualization as well as conservation of in-class time for greater stress upon methods for the classroom teacher. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the investigation on the implementation and evaluation of a clergy in-service training program on personal counseling. The intervention had three specific objectives like increase knowledge of counseling models and community resources, develop and upgrade empathic listening skills, and followed five methods such as recruitment and entry, as well as instrumentation. The results demonstrated the positive impact of consultation intervention on the participants and its increased inter-agency cooperation for delivering mental health services.

The article assesses the effects of stress associated with the administration of four commonly used psychological tests of personality assessment on measures of state and trait anxiety as these concepts are defined by researcher C.D. Spielberger with a psychiatric population. The results indicated that State anxiety measures increased significantly for neurotic subjects after administration of each test, while they only increased after administration of the more objective tests namely the MMPI and Sentence Completion Test for sociopathic subjects and after administration of the projective tests.

A pretest-posttest design training study was conducted, using a sample of 215 children in grades 2 and 3 as a basic sample. From these, 60 were selected who had very low scores on a test of the concept of horizontality, and randomly allocated to a training experimental group, training control group, and no-training control group. The experimental group improved significantly with training, the controls did not. Horizontality posttest scores of the experimental group were found to correlate .5 and .6 with their scores on a previously administered test of mathematical groups. Some Ss who benefited from training were found to confuse the horizontal with the vertical. Such confusion was interpreted as an indication that S was approaching operativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the background of evaluation considerations and summary of procedures for assessing the Experience Teacher Fellowship Program in Economic Education in the U.S. In response to queries about program effectiveness, program directors have cited statistics that reveal the number of programs conducted, the number of participants in attendance, and the number of school systems involved. Success is implied so long as the data reveal that more teachers participated in special programs during the year under study than had participated during the previous year. Perhaps the primary benefit derived from accountability evaluation is the documentation of strengths and weaknesses, information that provides guidance for present and successive programs. Modifications are achieved through an emphasis on process rather than product and are directed toward the achievement of greater efficiency and effectiveness. Prior to 1960 evaluation often centered on determining the extent to which the educational objectives of a program were realized. To make the needed measurements at the conclusion of a program it became necessary to state objectives in behavioral terms and outcomes as percentage achievement.

This investigation attempted to confer resistance to persuasion by inoculating people with either supportive, refutational, or combination pretreatment messages. Following inoculation, subjects either passively received a high or low intense attack message or actively encoded a message of high or low intensity. As predicted, there was a significant interaction between type of attack and level of language intensity. Discussion centered on the effects of language intensity as a mediator of attitude change in yet another persuasive paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study on various aspects of the process of speech. Details of stimulus speech involved in the study; Changes in an audience's evaluative responses to a speaker during his speech; Trend analysis of times indicating significant changes in evaluation of the speaker.

This article is concerned with the relationship between psychotherapy and the concomitant perceptual behavior of the individual. The recent research in the area of perception makes it reasonable to postulate that perceptual behavior is mediated by central factors in personality organization. Following from this postulate, this study hypothesizes that perceptual behavior will change as a consequence of psychotherapy. The best guess now is that the perceptual changes over therapy will be differential changes that is, some of the behaviors below will show little change and others will show more pronounced change.

This is an interim report, after the third year, of an intervention project with young culturally deprived children Its purpose is to attempt to offset the progressive retardation commonly observed in the schooling of such children Special experiences provided the forty-four experimental children centered around the development of attitudes and aptitudes conducive to school achievement This was done through intensive summer work with the chil- dren and with the use of weekly home visits during the rest of the year Continued tests of intelligence and language indicate that just prior to school entrance the experimental groups showed significant gains (< 01), while both a local and a nonlocal control group showed losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation reported here was an attempt to determine the effects of a motor training program on the lateral expression of disabled readers. Some of the implications of this study are delineated, and suggestions for the design of future experiments are offered. Criteria for assessment, intervention strategies, and nomenclature are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study involved an evaluation of a conceptual geography unit intended for use at the kindergarten level. Unit appropriateness was assessed on the basis of pupil success and teacher usability. Pupil success was evaluated by examining the variances in achievement and learning gains that existed among pupil groups based on sex, race, socio-economic status, and pretesting. Variances among pupil groups based on race and socio-economic status were statistically significant. Teacher usability was evaluated by examining the variances in achievement and learning gains that existed among pupil groups based on teacher background in geography, experience with the unit, teacher perception of the overall appropriateness of the unit, and appropriateness of the unit at the kindergarten level. Variances among pupil groups based on all teacher variables except geography background were statistically significant. In all cases, learning gains were significant. The main hypothesis that the unit was appropriate for use at the kindergarten level was not rejected. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Three educable mentally retarded children who had previously been placed in special self contained classrooms were integrated with 22 nonhandicapped children in a third grade classroom during the first year of the North Sacramento Model Program. A similar number were integrated into a fourth grade classroom during the second year of the project. A precision teaching procedure was used with both experimental groups. Control groups of educable mentally retarded and educationally handicapped children in regular classrooms were maintained. Results indicate that the handicapped and nonhandicapped children in the integrated setting improved as much or more than did their controls in academic skills, social behavior, and attitude change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was the purpose of this study to assess changes in physical development in educable mentally retarded boys as a result of a structured physical education program. Included in the study were 42 boys (24 experimental and 18 control). From the posttest and followup data analyses the following conclusions seem supported: (a) levels of physical fitness can be so significantly improved as to allow a favorable comparison with the nonretarded peer group, and (b) significant gains demonstrated at the end of the experiment proper remained significant over a 6 week post experiment followup period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A commercial programed arithmetic textbook and two teacher made programs, one using the rote approach, the other using the understanding approach, were evaluated with EMR students as subjects. The teacher made programs were designed to follow suggestions from the attention theory of Zeaman and House (1963). The rote approach was highly significant for learning division facts. implications for the classroom and suggestions for revision of the commercial program are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]