title: Comparison of tangibly reinforced speech-reception and pure-tone thresholds of mentally retarded children.
abstract: Sixteen mentally retarded children who had normal hearing were examined with two tests of auditory sensitivity. One procedure employed a tangibly reinforced operant-conditioning paradigm for pure tones, and the other test was based on a modification of operant conditioning for obtaining speech-reception thresholds. The speech procedure, utilizing an attractive mechanical device in the form of a clown, proved to be effective and efficient for use with retarded children.
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013067:Speech Perception