This document outlines the course procedures for Psychology 4600 Survey of Applied Behavior Analysis Research including contact information for the course supervisor, systems manager, and teaching apprentices. It provides details on seminar format, grading policies, attendance policies, and materials needed for the course.

1. Class Schedule &
Course Procedures
Psychology 4600
Survey of Applied
Behavior Analysis
Research
Spring 2011
All sections are designed and managed by
Dr. Richard W. Malott
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2. Table of Contents
PSY 4600 COURSE PROCEDURES................................................................................5
Course Supervisor..........................................................................................................................5
Course Systems Manager..............................................................................................................5
Teaching Apprentices....................................................................................................................5
Your Buddy....................................................................................................................................5
Information for Your Buddy........................................................................................................5
Seminar...........................................................................................................................................5
General Point System....................................................................................................................5
Point Totals.....................................................................................................................................6
Grades.............................................................................................................................................7
Optional Activity Points (OAPs)...................................................................................................8
Important – OAPS and your grade...............................................................................................9
Missed Classes .............................................................................................................................9
Tough Contingencies.....................................................................................................................9
Return Your Homework...............................................................................................................9
Cheating........................................................................................................................................9
Plagiarizing.................................................................................................................................10
Missed Classes..............................................................................................................................10
Special Get-Tough Policy on Absences......................................................................................10
Lateness.........................................................................................................................................11
Students......................................................................................................................................11
Professor & Teaching Apprentices.............................................................................................11
Late Homework............................................................................................................................11
Self Management and Final Fiesta Projects..............................................................................11
How to keep your participation points......................................................................................11
Studying and correcting your homework with a non-red pen during class................................12
Mickey Mouse Rules....................................................................................................................12
2

3. Adding Insult to Injury...............................................................................................................12
How To Avoid Being A Social Disaster......................................................................................12
How to be way cool......................................................................................................................13
Interpersonal Style and Skills.....................................................................................................13
Technical Skills..........................................................................................................................14
The Legend of Sheldon Stone....................................................................................................15
The Legend of the Cool Coed.....................................................................................................16
On the Other Hand......................................................................................................................16
The One Pointer..........................................................................................................................17
Bottom Line................................................................................................................................17
Professor’s Vita............................................................................................................................17
Let the good times roll!................................................................................................................18
NOTE: You will have a quiz over the course procedures during class
two. Read this entire packet so that you will be prepared to answer
multiple-choice questions over this material.
3

4. Materials Checklist
Some of these materials will be handed out in class.
Material In course pack Handed out later
Applied Behavior Cognitive Analysis Work Text Ch.1-21 In course pack
(no Ch. 14 or 18) by Richard W. Malott and Students
Reading Assignments with Study Objectives In course pack
I’ll Stop Procrastinating when I Get Around to It In course pack
(Textbook) by Richard W. Malott
I’ll Stop Procrastinating when I Get Around to It In course pack
(Homework)
CD Containing Workshows and Job Aids In course pack
The Contingency-Diagram Checklist – Pink Sheet In course pack
Pink Sheet Flashcards In course pack
The Three-contingency model Checklist – Purple Sheet In course pack
Purple Sheet Flashcards In course pack
Principles of Behavior (POB) Review Quiz List of Terms In course pack
POB Review Quiz Flashcards In course pack
P460 Blue Flashcards (Ch. 1-21) In course pack
Goal-Directed System Design Job Aid In course pack
2 Factor Theory Job Aid In course pack
Transparency Masters In course pack
Letter of Recommendation Checklist In course pack
Letter of Recommendation Request Form In course pack
P460 BACC Pack In course pack
Special Lecture Evaluation In course pack
PSY 460 Course Evaluation In course pack
Red ballpoint pen In course pack
Transparency pen (dark color) In course pack
2 Blank Transparencies In course pack
Year-at-a-glance Transparency In course pack
4

5. PSY 4600 Course PHONE #: ______________________
EMAIL: ______________________
Procedures
Course Supervisor
Dr. Richard W. Malott Your Buddy
Telephone - 372-1268 What happens if you miss class and
Best time to call is in the morning; and don’t get some vital oral or written
the best strategy is to call until you get a material handed out in class? No
live Dr. Malott on the other end, though problem, you just call up your reliable
you should also leave a voice mail. buddy whose name and phone number
Email Address – you’ve listed here and get the info. Your
DickMalott@dickmalott.com buddy was of course reliable enough to
For questions about P460 in general have picked up an extra copy of the
please contact P460@dickmalott.com handouts for you, especially since you
had notified your buddy of your pending
If you need to make an appointment absence. So get a student name and
with Dr, Malott, please contact Kelli number, and don’t even think of bugging
Perry at: kelli.l.perry@wmich.edu me (or the TA’s) for something you
failed to get.
Get more information at dickmalott.com
Course Systems Manager
Telephone: 387-4491 (BATS Lab) Information for Your Buddy
Julie Sanchez:
Julie.A.Sanchez09@gmail.com Name: _______________________
Phone: ______________________
Teaching Apprentices
Lisa Brown, Christine Gormont, Austin Email: _______________________
Mifsud, Dru Millerwise, Lauren Edwards
Seminar
All TAs are available at 387-4491. Seminar: M W 3:30-4:45 PM
Please try this number first. The TA’s
are given the option of giving out their Location: Sangren 3101, Brown 4037,
home phone numbers during class. Dunbar 3201, Dunbar
3204, and Dunbar 3214
Office Hours
Tuesday: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: BATS Lab (2506/2536) General Point System
TA NAME: ______________________
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6. To get an A in psychology courses, you
should allocate about 4 hours per week
in class combined with out of class time Special note for your Quiz grade:
per credit hour. That’s about 12 hours Quiz answers must be legible to be
per week for this course or 180 for the counted as correct! There is absolutely
15-week semester. I assign about 10 no make-ups allowed!
points for each hour of activity in figuring
the course grade, so the total points will But now back to happier issues: 40
be around 1800. Here’s a break down (it points for a combination of written
may change somewhat throughout the answers to conceptual objectives,
term.) 20 points for each seminar essays, and the occasional quiz. In
class, for conscientious participation in other words, you should invest about 4
seminar discussion. I will expect you to hours on each homework assignment,
recite in each class, especially in including reading the chapters, doing
answering conceptual questions, the contingency diagrams and writing
thoughtfully. This means you will need any brief essays, as well as preparing
to show considerable evidence of for the occasional quiz. However,
having thought about the homework because we’re still developing the
assignment. course materials, you may not need to
What does conscientious mean? In the put in quite that much time.
seminar: You must listen carefully to the
presentations of the other students and Point Totals
be prepared to comment, so as to earn All these points count toward your
all participation points. So studying for a course grade. The total points for the
quiz, finishing your homework, reading course will be about:
and writing letters, sleeping etc. means,
when you see your scores for that week, 26x40 points = 1040 points for
you’ll find less than the total possible homework analyzing contingencies,
points for the seminar class. On the quizzes, etc., plus 100 for the final fiesta
other hand, feel free to improve your write-up, 40 for self-management write
homework, as we clarify tough concepts ups (2x20) equaling a total of 1180
throughout the seminar session. points in this category
Also, to make sure that you will get full
participation points for each class, you
need to have the following ready for
each class.
1) Required transparencies filled up
2) Self-Management graphs on
presentation day
3) Have Response Cards with you
4) Special Lecture Evaluation forms
5) Be on time to class
Please be aware that you will lose 5
participation points for missing any
of the above items.
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7. Lowest % of Points in ANY of
the Remaining Areas
8 8 7 7 6 6 5 <5 want you to learn as much as you can,
92 7 and to have as much fun as you can.
7 2 7 2 7 2 7
92 A B B C C D D E E But to hit all three goals we need a
A B C D
complex set of contingencies. Look at
87 BA B C C D D E E
the following grade scale and you’ll see
B C D
just how complex.
82 B C C D D E E
B C D
% of 77 CB C D D E E
Quiz C D
Point 72 C D D E E If you get at least 92% of the total
s C D points in the quiz area, and 87%of the
67 DC D E E total points in all other areas, you get at
D least a BA. Almost all of you will do
62 D E E that. For example, in the winter term of
D 1991, 95% of the students in PSY 460
57 ED E worked really hard, learned a lot, and
cracked the 92% / 87% mark to earn at
<57 E
least a BA.
Wonderful, but how do you get that
10x20 points = 200 points for review
magic A? To do that you have to crack
quizzes
the 92% mark in each area of the
course: (1) seminar, colloquia, and final
27x20 points = 400 points for
fiesta participation; (2) conceptual
conscientious participation in seminar
homework combined with the final
project & paper; and the quizzes, and
1x100 points = 100 points for your final
(3) the regular and review quizzes.
paper (counts as part of your
homework)
You’re almost guarantied to earn a BA,
which is well above the campus
1x20 = 20 points for conscientious
average; and you’ll have learned
participation in Final Fiesta (attendance
enough about behavior analysis that you
required, counts as seminar
can hold your head high. But if you do
participation)
earn the A, you’ll leave this course so
sharp; we’ll have to register you as a
2040 points = 100% of the total points
lethal weapon.
for the course (approximate)
Grades I know this seems like a strange way to
Now you know how you can earn 100’s evaluate a student’s mastery and assign
of points (learned reinforcers?) in this a letter grade. Why not just add up all
course. So the next question is, how do the points and assign a letter grade
those points convert into a final grade based on the total number of points, no
(backup reinforcer)? The answer is, matter which component of the class
complexly. Here’s why it’s so complex: they come from? That’s the way we
We have three goals for this course: we
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8. used to do it. But then some students lowest quiz scores; there is no way to
would get an A based on their work eliminate your lowest quiz scores);
in everything but the quizzes and they instead you can use these points to
wouldn’t have really learned an exempt yourself from any already
important part of the course, the previously agreed upon assignments.
concepts tested on the quizzes. In other words, you cannot use them to
compensate for a mediocre
My friend Dr. Stephen Graf puts it this performance, but you can use them to
way: Suppose you’re training surgeons. cut yourself some slack. Along the same
And to perform a successful surgery, the line, you can’t come to class, scope out
student/surgeon must scrub down, put the quiz, and then decide to use your
on the gloves, make a proper incision, optional activity points (OAPs) for that
properly remove the right organ, avoid quiz; the OAPs are to help you with
flipping cigarette ashes in the open necessary future absences etc., not to
wound, remove all surgical tools from help you avoid the hard ones.
inside the patient, sew up the incision,
etc. Now suppose the student/surgeon All these activities are optional,
did everything correctly except taking however; so if you don’t participate,
out the right organ. The student might either because of schedule conflicts or
say. I did 19 out of the 20 steps lack of interest, that’s OK. You can still
correctly; that’s 95%. I want my A. The earn 100% of the required points and
fact that I took out the heart instead of earn your A. The optional activities are
the hemorrhoids and the patient died just to give you flexibility, if you can work
shouldn’t overshadow my 95 average. them into your schedule and if you want
to.
We take behavior analysis really
seriously and don’t want to graduate any Alternate activities that will warrant you
students who don’t know it well. So for more OAPS will include completing an
us to certify you as an A student, you’ve additional self-management project on
got to hit at least 92% in each category studying for the GRE (which we highly
in this course. recommend) or a class, participating in
official departmental social functions
Optional Activity Points (OAPs) such as colloquia or conferences,
You can earn and use a total of 80 participating in research projects, and
points for optional alternate activities of finding errors in any of the course
academic value scheduled outside the materials. And for those who can’t
regular classes. To encourage you to participate in these activities, because of
participate, you will receive points for schedule conflicts, we can arrange for
participating in those activities and special reading and conceptual
providing appropriate proof of homework (this way everyone has a
accomplishment. Those points can chance to earn optional points, whatever
count toward your course grade, but their work schedule).
you cannot use them for any review
quizzes or to make up for missed Often the quizzes are the toughest part
points (for example, you cannot use of this course. You can use your OAPs
optional activity points to eliminate your in place of one quiz that you haven’t
8

9. taken, even if you do come to class. no excuses, no whining, no mercy. We
But you can only do it once. You take no prisoners. But if you haven’t
can’t blow off four quizzes and pay spent too many of your optional-activity
for them with OAPs. points (OAPs), you could substitute
them for the day you were in the
You can exchange OAPs for only one hospital. The wise student saves those
day’s worth of quizzes except for OAPs until the very end of the semester,
Review Quizzes which include POB just in case the heart surgery requires
review quiz, pink sheet quiz, purple two days instead of one. No heart
sheet quiz, Ch. 12 quiz and Ch. 12 surgery? Great, you can blow off the last
review quiz. couple of classes, quizzes, and
homework and concentrate on starting
Important – OAPS and your grade to sweat finals in our other courses; but
Just to reiterate, you may use up to 80 you can’t blow off your final paper or
OAPs this semester for one missed the Final Fiesta.
class period, one day worth of quizzes,
and one day worth of homework Tough Contingencies
assignments. You MAY NOT use Return Your Homework
OAPS for writing assignments, review To retain full credit for your
quizzes, or the class projects (final fiesta homework, please turn it all in at the
or self management). To use your Final Fiesta.
OAPs submit an OAP petition to your This way we can look at it in more detail,
TA. Your TA will save this form. In as we evaluate the effectiveness of the
addition, your TA WILL NOT add the books and the course. It will also give us
points straight to your grade sheet. ideas about materials to add. In
When you use OAPs, on your grade addition, this way your answers won’t
sheet you will see ** instead of a point fall into the hands of future students, in
value. At the end of the semester (and spite of your best security efforts. OK?
if you have earned enough OAPs)
your TA will fix your grade by adding Cheating
those OAPs where the ** previously Cheating Means Sudden Death!!!
appeared on your grade sheet. The If we catch you cheating or
reason for this is that many students use plagiarizing in this course, we will
OAPs that they haven’t earned. That’s recommend to the Student Judicial
fine but we need to keep track of how Committee that YOU RECEIVE AN E
many OAPs each student has vs. how FOR THE COURSE, no matter how
many each student uses. small or trivial was the cheating or
plagiarizing.
Missed Classes This includes, but is not limited to,
You can substitute a maximum of 80 copying from your neighbor, your notes,
optional-activity points for missed or whatever, during a test or quiz. This
classes, quizzes not taken, and also involves talking during a test or
homework not turned in. Suppose you quiz. Cheating also means copying
had heart surgery on a Tuesday. You’d someone else’s homework and turning it
lose 20 participation points and 20 quiz in as your own. On the other hand, if
points---down the tubes, gone for ever, you are knowingly involved in providing
9

10. the occasion for someone else to do any handful of students who need even
of these forms of cheating, then you too tighter contingencies than that, to get
are cheating and will also get the ax! their act together. These are students
whose behavior is not under the
Plagiarizing adequate control of rules describing
This means turning in written work that small but cumulatively significant
includes material taken from someone outcomes (we’ll discuss this in class). In
else, without using quote marks or essence, they say to themselves, “Just
otherwise giving proper credit to the true one more absence won’t matter.” And
author, in other words, your presentation they’re right, until they finally
of someone else’s material in a way that accumulate so many that they drift from
the material might be mistaken as your an “A” to a BA” to a “B” and on and on.
own. They need rules that specify
Missed Classes contingencies where one more absence
If you miss a class, you don’t get points will matter. They will have less trouble
for participation and you lose the following such rules and thus will get a
opportunity to take that quiz. No make- much better grade in the course. So
ups are given! It doesn’t work out for us here’s our special get-tough policy:
to try to distinguish between excused
and unexcused absences. So once the PSY 100 comments: “Enforces
opportunity has passed, it’s gone. This learning.” “People should have a right to
means you should keep your point decide about attendance. It’s our
average comfortably above the 92% money.” “It doesn’t bother me, but it
level in all categories; so you can blow helps to make others go to class.” “All
off a class or two, if need be without profs. should do it. Some people need
losing you A (assuming that’s what it.” “I’m a devoted class attendee, and I
you’re shooting for). If you miss more think you can’t learn unless you go to
than two classes, you’re probably down class.” “Depends on the excuse ‘cause
one half letter grade. there is already large loss of points by
not attending.”
If you do miss a class, you can usually
pick up any handouts from the envelope Every time you exceed three
outside my office. And you can also turn absences, your next absences will
your homework in the next day. You’re results into half a letter grade down
responsible for having a reliable buddy on your final grade!!
who will take notes and pass them on to
you, so you can find out the details of Here is the way it works. (In this
the next assignments. example, we assume you would get an
A, if you had no absences. But, of
course, if you had several absences,
Special Get-Tough Policy on
you probably would already have lost
Absences too many points to get an A; so our
Most students have no problem with the penalty of a half a letter grade or so
preceding absence policies. Instead, it would be beyond the lowering due to the
helps them get their act together, so point loss.)
they’ll do well in the class and earn and
“A”. But there are always a half a
10

11. Absences Grade are open). Ouch! You can slide your
0 to 3 A homework under the assistant’s office
4 to 6 BA door (Wood Hall 2536, inside 2506); be
7 to 9 B sure to put on the name of the course,
Etc. Etc. the name of your grad. assistant, and
your name. Late means anytime after
This policy helps most students avoid the beginning of the class when your
the hopeless hassle of coming around homework is due. Don’t try to finish your
at the end of the semester, desperately, homework during class; we’ll count that
but vainly, pleading for some way to as late. If you know you’re going to have
raise their final grade. Now they’ll have to miss class, you can turn in your
that A in the bag, when the end of the homework in advance.
semester rolls around. But even with
this policy, a small number of students Self Management and Final
managed to get less than a BA. Always, Fiesta Projects
this was because of absences or failing This semester you will complete 2
to turn in homework. projects: self management and final
Sometimes students have a time fiesta. THESE ARE NOT THE SAME
conflict, so that they want to come to PROJECT!!! If it is not already in your
class, take the quiz (depending on when course pack, you will receive a sheet
it’s given), turn in their homework, and that explains the difference between
leave. That’s O.K. They don’t receive these two projects and provides you
many or possibly any participation with some guidelines for completing the
points, but this does not count as an projects. But for now we will give you
absence that would contribute to the the very basics. For each project you
penalty contingency. will complete a paper using Microsoft
Lateness Word and a presentation with Microsoft
Students PowerPoint. Using these programs IS A
If you are late for class or leave class MANDATORY REQUIREMENT for each
early, you will lose 5 participation project. However, we realize that not all
points, and possibly more. (BY the way, of our students are proficient in using
if you’re doing other homework, writing these programs. But don’t worry! We
letters, etc. in class, you won’t get full will help you through it as much as
participation points either.) possible. We even give you a template
disk! On this disk you will find –
Professor & Teaching Apprentices  Sample student papers and
On the other hand, each time a presentations
graduate assistant or Dr. Malott is late,  Skeleton outlines/templates for
they will reluctantly contribute $5 to the your project
class party fund. Ouch!  Instructions for using the
programs.
Late Homework How to keep your participation
You lose 5 points per business day points
(business days are normally those days, Attending the entire class is the only
Monday through Friday, when classes way to earn your participation points,
are scheduled and the university offices unless you use OAPs. (If you just show
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12. up for the quiz, you will not be earning managers in business and industry, one
any participation points, but we will let of my most popular modules dealt with
you take the quiz.) Once you are in social skills. When introducing this
class there are a couple of things that module, I’d say, “Fifty percent of a
we expect of our students. These things person’s success in an organization has
affect whether or not students keep the to do with social skills and other skills
participation points earned for showing that have little to do with the person’s
up. For each problem, the student job description.” If those managers ever
will lose 5 participation points. disagreed, it was to say, “No, 50% is an
underestimate.”
Studying and correcting your homework Now here’s something that’s even
with a non-red pen during class weirder than this extreme importance of
If a student uses a non-red pencil or pen social skills: no one ever tells you how
to correct their homework as we give the important those social skills are or what
answers in class. THIS IS NOT they are, let alone, how well you are
ACCEPTABLE! Students are required doing in that crucial area.
to use the red pen to make corrections.
Each time your TA sees you using So you’re playing a game; no one tells
another type of pen/pencil you will lose you the rules; no one tells you the score;
5 participation points. and you don’t even know you’re playing.
All you know is eventually you get a
Studying flashcards during class is not raise, get promoted, or don’t get fired. If
acceptable. If you study during class you lose, if you don’t get the raise or the
time, you will lose 5 participation points. promotion or if you do get fired, no one
will tell you the real reasons about
Mickey Mouse Rules where you screwed up—too much
Sorry for all the preceding nonsense, hassle. So many people go through life
but we’ve found that if we get all these clueless about what determines their
ugly little details straight, up front, then professional success.
you’ll have an almost hassle-free term.
This course is much the same sort of
Adding Insult to Injury organization as a business is. But in this
So that you’ll learn the most, get the course, we’ll make a small attempt to
best grade, and have the most fun, and correct the clueless problem. We’re
the least hassles in this course, it’s going to tell you some of the subtle
important that you understand and things that will help you be a good
remember these Mickey Mouse rules. member of this organization, how to
This means you should study them succeed in this organization, how to get
between now and the next class and be this organization to give you strong
prepared for a brief written quiz over letters of recommendation for practica,
them. assistantships, grad school, and jobs;
and also how to contribute to this
organization, in a positive manner.
How To Avoid Being A Social Now, if you’re cool, you’ll use being in
Disaster this organization as an opportunity to
When I used to do organizational- learn how to be successful in other
behavior-management workshops for
12

13. organizations, like where you will be Provide corrective feedback in a non-
working when you graduate. Here’s a punitive style (i.e. specify appropriate
general list of skills for succeeding in desired behavior, don’t be critical of
almost any organization, with comments people). Never say how stupid the
about how they apply in this course. teacher was to assign a quiz on
Thanksgiving Day. Just ask if they
How to be way cool realized that the fourth Thursday of
Concerning "compulsive neuroses," I do November was T-Day. Then tactfully
observe that highly productive and point out the implications of that, if need
successful people are irrationally fearful be, but, in private, of course.
that they are going to fail in every Respond in a socially appropriate
endeavor they undertake, such as a manner to positive or negative feedback
course they might be taking or an exam (i.e. say “thank you”, without
they might be taking. And to somewhat disagreement). If the TA or instructor
reduce their fear or anxiety; they work marks something off on a quiz or
their tails off, for example, starting to homework, say “thank you” and then
prepare for the exam as soon as the think about how you can use that
instructor announces it. As a result they feedback to do better next time. Better
get the top score in the class, though, to lose a point on a quiz, even if you
ironically that does little to reduce their know you’re right and the rest of the
fear the next time a text is announced. world is wrong, than to lose a friend,
Whereas, the cool, "mentally healthy" especially if that friend is your TA or
people, don't start studying until right teacher. Win the war, not the battle.
before the exam, because they have a
wonderfully positive self-image; but as a React in a rational, as opposed to an
result they wait a little too late to really emotional manner, when faced with
get enough studying done and do well to problems. Control emotions effectively
pass the exam, let alone ace it. (e.g. do not cry or yell) in frustrating
situations (i.e. under extinction or
Interpersonal Style and Skills aversive conditions), in professional,
Give corrective feedback in appropriate school, and peer settings. Never, ever
situations (not in the presence of lose your cool.
others). If you’re unhappy about some
feature of the course, discuss it with Smile: during good times and bad times.
your TA or instructor privately before or The grinners shall inherit the earth, not
after class. Never embarrass your TA or the meek.
instructor by pointing out in front of the
class some really stupid thing they did Be pleasant in interactions (i.e. zero
or some really dumb or unjust feature of negative comments, well mannered). Be
the course. Your TA or instructor will just the kind of person your TA and your
get up tight and defensive, dig in the classmates want to be around.
heels, be even dumber or more unjust –
like anyone else would. We’re dealing Speak in respectful ways—with peers.
with people here, and people are easily
embarrassed and upset.
13

14. Speak in respectful ways—with TAs and have plenty of time to reject them later,
professors. Speaking respectfully and if you still find them to strange by the
brown nosing are not the same thing. end of the course.
Be properly assertive in disagreeing with Quality: produce a good product with
others, including other students, your TA good results.
and your professor. That means: Smile,
be tactful, be private, be cool, be Timely (reliable): complete tasks by the
rational, be polite, be pleasant. But that deadline.
does not mean you should be a “yes”
person. That does not mean you have to Don’t be absent.
agree with everything. But if you lost a
point on a quiz, assume you were Don’t be late.
wrong, smile and respectfully ask for
help in getting your error clarified, even Technical Skills
if you know damned well the TA Use good speaking skills: grammar,
screwed up. If, after discussion it looks clear descriptions, loudness,
to you like the TA really is wrong, then enunciation, confidence, articulateness,
see if you can gently guide him or her to and fluency.
your way of seeing it. If you can’t, then
decide how important it is. If it’s only one Use good writing skills: grammar,
point and you’re already way above spelling, and organization.
you’re A, consider bagging it. Just chill
out. But if it’s a bigger deal, politely and Use good systems-analysis skills:
gently ask permission to discuss the Effectively detect, analyze and clearly
issue with the professor, and so on. But specify problems within the system and
always be cool, smile and end each then suggest and implement good
discussion with a sincere thank you. solutions.
Actively listen when spoken to (i.e. good Use high-quality behavior-analytic skills.
eye contact) where appropriate.
Now, you get your act together along all
Do not dominate discussions at these dimensions; and you’ll not only
meetings and seminars (i.e. speak succeed in the organization, you’ll
during no more than your appropriate become president of the organization!
share of the class time).
So, we’re taking the time to go through
Carry your share of the discussion in all this for two reasons. One is to help
meetings and seminars (don’t just sit you succeed in this organization (this
there listening). class) and to succeed in future
organizations (your job, your family,
Appear appropriately receptive to others your church).
values and viewpoints. In this course,
you’re going to run up on some strange The other is to help this class and future
ideas, like maybe what you’re reading organizations succeed. One negative,
now. Relax and check ‘em out. You’ll whiney, eye-rolling, sighing, “do we
14

15. really have to do this?,” under-breath The Legend of Sheldon Stone
“this really sucks,” constantly One of the coolest cats (woops, excuse
challenging student can bring a whole me), the coolest dudes I ever knew was
class down and make the whole Sheldon Stone.
semester a drag for the other students
and the TA or teacher. And running Years ago, I used to be real important; I
about 8 seminars a semester, with used to teach our 1000-student
about 20 students in a seminar, there’s introductory psychology course. And
a good chance that 1 out of those 160 Sheldon was an undergrad teaching
students will be clueless about the bad apprentice; the only thing lower in our
karma, vibes, or feelings they’re course hierarchy was to be a tuition-
accidentally polluting the classroom paying student (the ones who pay our
environment with. But mama never told salary). Well, Sheldon was unhappy
me. And we’ll come down pretty heavy about some teaching-apprentice policy I
on preventing a whole course from had; so he took a group of the
getting messed over in that way – now undergrads with him to the WMU
and in the future. I don’t want anyone in ombudsman (an even more important
my future classes, practica, or graduate person than I was, the person who
school programs who’s going to be a settles squabbles between students and
constant pain in the rear or screw up teachers).
future courses, practica, or grad
programs. Wow! Heavy. Yes. But I just Now the ombudsman’s an option the
rolled my eyes a little. I didn’t really wise student saves for only the most
mean anything by it. Right. But that’s the extreme emergency, because no
stuff that makes and breaks you. professor likes being called before the
ombudsman; and the wise student
Now don’t panic. If you screw up, we’ll knows better than to risk angering the
let you know, but we try to practice our professor; and there’s no way the
preaching; we start with just a little professor isn’t going to be very angry
gentle feedback, a little gentle guidance. with such a public challenge to authority.
We want you to go away from the
discussion feeling really happy that you But here’s how cool Sheldon was. He
got that info and eager to give the new, stated his case to me and the
cool way a shot. There ain’t enough ombudsman in such a non-emotional,
good students that we can afford to non-hysterical, non-threatening, non-
waste any of them. We just want to help challenging, respectful, sympathetic way
you so you don’t eye-roll yourself out of that I caved in immediately, rather than
the opportunity to save the world with getting my hackles up and drawing a
behavior analysis. And that world does line in the sand. Not only that, over the
need a savin’. And you can do it. Oops, next few years, he rose through our
did I hear a little, under-breath, “who-do- hierarchy to be one of my undergrad
they-think-they-are” sigh of teaching assistant ($), to be one of my
exasperation? MA student, to be one of my grad
teaching assistant (more $), to be a
professional organizational behavior-
management consultant (much more $),
15

16. and to be manager of the worlds largest polite, so respectful that I’m so
retail store (mucho, mucho mas $), in impressed with her I want to share this
Hawaii, of all paradisiacal places. incident with you, that I’m so impressed
with her that I hope she gets the faith by
Of course, that Sheldon started out as a the end of the semester and joins us in
60-hour-per-week undergrad didn’t hurt. our struggle to save the world with
(Yeah, I know, slackers say, 60 hours a behavior analysis, because it’s only with
week! Ugh, a book head! Who wants to the help of cool people like her that we’ll
be a book head!? What the slackers have a chance of even getting the world
don’t know is that it’s the 60-hour-per- to know we exist.
week book heads who win the game. On the Other Hand
And there are a lot more of those A few years ago, we had a guy in Psy.
students leading highly successful 360 who was into so much eye-rolling,
undergrad careers than the slackers can heavy-sighing, snotty-out-of-the-corner-
even imagine.) of-his-mouth-remarks by way of
displaying his displeasure with our
The Legend of the Cool Coed course that the TA pulled him aside for a
Third week of the semester. I’m briskly private self-development interview,
walking down a Dunbar hallway. A where she explained that his behavior
young woman comes up to me and was very disruptive for the class and
asks, “Alright, if I walk with you to made it hard for her to do a good job
discuss something?” “Sure.” (Note how teaching. He said he understood and
respectful: She asks permission to walk/ would try to do better, but he felt like the
talk, and she’s not so presumptuous as TAs were a bunch of rats with Malott
to try to stop me from going to what ever leading them along by a string.
very important-person meeting I’m
headed for [actually I was headed to the Now the poor TA’s feelings were really
John].) hurt. She she’d never been so insulted.
She says, “I find your Psy. 360 course But here’s the point: She was sure the
really hard, and I don’t think behaviorism guy had no idea how aversive and
is for me. Are all the courses in this inappropriate his comment was. He had
department behavioral? And are there no idea that his social insensitivity and
other colleges where the psych. his inability to stay away from those
departments aren’t behavioral?” petty aggression reinforcers would so
trash his life and career as to cost him at
Well, she’s broken my heart. Not only is least $20K a year in salary, ‘cause no
she rejecting my course but also she’s one wants to be around someone who’s
rejecting behaviorism, my treasure, my that aversive (inter-observer reliability: in
most cherished world view, my faith. earlier courses his fellow students found
Like I really believe in my slogan, “Save his remarks so aversive that they were
the world with behavior analysis,” even constantly asking him to shut up).
though I know it’s a bullshit fantasy.
But here’s the point: In rejecting me and Isn’t that sad, regardless of the guy’s
all I stand for, she’s so cool, so non- technical skills, his social skills are so
emotional, so non-hysterical, so non- poor that he really is doomed; no one
threatening, so non-challenging, so
16

17. will want him spreading karmic pollution to the aggressor a day or so after that
in their environment. person has had a chance to cool down,
conducting a self-development
The One Pointer interview, perhaps with further follow
More common is the high-achieving through, in an effort to salvage a soul
student who is such a high achiever who might otherwise lose many of life’s
because she gets completely bent out of opportunities because of being socially
shape every time she loses a point on a clueless.
quiz. The good side of this compulsive
neurosis is that the fear of losing a Professor’s Vita
single point in the game of life is what Dr. Richard Malott received his Ph.D. at
motivates high achievers to achieve so Columbia University in New York City
highly. One of the bad sides of this where he did research in the
compulsive neurosis is that they’re experimental analysis of behavior and
constantly so up tight about point studied with William Cumming, Nat
losses, that they have a hard time Schoenfeld, and Fred Keller. For the last
asking for a re-grade in the manner of 30 years, he has taught at Western
Sheldon Stone and the Cool Coed, in a Michigan University, a major center for
non-emotional, non-hysterical, non- the teaching of behavior analysis. He
threatening, non-challenging, respectful, has had two Fulbright Senior Scholar
sympathetic way, in a way that will make Awards, one to Peru and one to
us want to interact with them more Uruguay. He is one of the founders of
often, rather than less often. In the Association for Behavior Analysis
emotionally going for that single, lost (ABA), the founder and co-chair of the
quiz point, they lose 10 life points, even Teaching Behavior Analysis Special
if they do get the quiz point. Interest Group of ABA, chair of the
Education Board of ABA, and a member
of the editorial board of the Journal of
Bottom Line Organizational Behavior Management.
The point is not to be a yes-person, lie- He has presented talks, workshops, and
down-and-let-them-roll-over-me kiss seminars in 12 countries – Canada,
ass. The point is to choose your battles Newfoundland, Germany, Sweden,
carefully and then treat them not as Mexico, Panama, Columbia, Peru,
battles but rather as opportunities for Brazil, Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong.
pleasant social discourse. The point is He has published 11 books and 97
to carefully prepare what you’re going to articles and has made 141
say and how you’re going to say it, and presentations at professional meetings
mull it over for a day before engaging in and 127 invited presentations in other
the battle. settings.
And the point for those of us in authority He just completed the fourth edition of
(TA’s, teachers, etc.) is to be so socially the book Principles of Behavior (earlier
cool, on our side, that we don’t get up versions have been translated into
tight and escalate confrontations, but Portuguese, Spanish, and Japanese)
rather we de-escalate them, helping and is now working on the book I’ll Stop
everyone to chill, and then getting back
17

18. Procrastinating When I Get Around To behavior. This work also attempts to
It. explain why some types of important
contingencies fail to reliably control
He specializes in the theoretical analysis behavior.
of behavior, applied behavior analysis,
and behavioral systems analysis. He Let the good times roll!
does research on instructional We look forward to working with you this
technology and performance term, 'cause we’re all going to have a
management in university-level great time.
education, staff management, and self- You are responsible for making yourself
management. He teaches courses at aware of and understanding the policies and
the undergraduate and graduate level procedures in the Undergraduate and
on the principles of behavior and applied Graduate Catalogs that pertain to Academic
behavior analysis, as well as a Honesty. These policies include cheating,
practicum on the use of behavior fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple
analysis to help autistic children. submission, plagiarism, complicity and
Philosophically, Dr. Malott is a radical computer misuse. [The policies can be
found at http://catalog.wmich.edu
behaviorist – he consistently tries to
<http://www.wmich.edu/catalog> under
understand all psychological Academic Policies, Student Rights and
phenomena in terms of the principles Responsibilities.] If there is reason to
and concepts of behavior analysis. believe you have been involved in academic
Practically, he is a thoroughgoing dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office
behaviorist – he consistently tries to of Student Conduct. You will be given the
apply the principles and concepts of opportunity to review the charge(s). If you
behavior analysis to all aspects of his believe you are not responsible, you will
life, personal as well as professional. have the opportunity for a hearing. You
His interests in performance should consult with your instructor if you are
management and self-management in uncertain about an issue of academic
honesty prior to the submission of an
particular have grown from his
assignment or test.
orientation as a thoroughgoing
behaviorist. An example of this work is
the development of performance-
management technology to help
graduate students accomplish the
difficult task of completing their master’s
theses and doctoral dissertations – a
serious problem around the world.
Malott’s theoretical work attempts to
explain the role of language and rule-
governed behavior in performance-
management contingencies where the
outcomes are too delayed to directly
reinforce or punish the behavior of
interest and yet the rules describing
those contingencies reliably control that
18