Verbal Conditioning in Noninstitutional Mildly Retarded Adolescents as a Function of Sex of Subject and Sex of Experimenter

Abstract

2 groups of mildly retarded adolescents residing in the community ( Ns = 20 males, 20 females in each group) participated in a Taffel-type verbal conditioning task. Following a baseline block of 20 trials, social reinforcement was provided same and opposite-sex Ss in the experimental group by same and opposite-sex adults. In contrast to the control group, the experimental group demonstrated a significant verbal conditioning effect. However, contrary to results of other social reinforcement studies, no effects of sex were obtained.