ABSTRACT
Since Lindsley and Skinner (1954) reported for the first time a method for the experimental analysis of the behavior of psychotic patients, many investigators have successfully utilized operant conditioning procedures to manipulate the behavior of adult psychotics (e.g., King et al., 1957; Ayllon and Michael, 1959; King et al., 1960; Ayllon, 1963). The behavior of both normal and retarded children has also been shown to be readily controllable through such conditioning procedures (e.g., Bijou, 1955, 1957, 1958; Bijou and Baer, 1960; Baer, 1961, 1962b). Ferster (1961) and Ferster and DeMyer (1961a, b) have extended these techniques to the behavior of autistic children, demonstrating that even their behavior could be shaped by operant techniques. Successful conditioning of verbal behavior in both normals and psychotics has also been reported (Krasner, 1962).
