Abstract
A schedule-induced behavior paradigm was used to investigate the activity patterns of hyperactive children in a standardized situation. In Experiment I, 10 hyperactive and 10 normal control children matched for age, sex, and IQ were observed under conditions of baseline and schedule. Measures of a number of categorized activities were taken on a time-sampling basis. Hyperactive children were more active than controls in baseline and did not respond to the schedule, unlike the controls who became significantly more active in schedule conditions. In Experiment II, 12 hyperactive and 6 normal children were again subjected to the same experimental paradigm, but in two of the four experimental sessions the stimulant drug methylphenidate was administered in an attempt to reduce the amount of baseline activity. Results were substantially similar to those of Experiment I, with hyperactive children more active than controls in baseline and insensitive to the schedule. There was no overall effect of drug administration on the behavior of either group. There were some ratedependent effects of both drug and schedule conditions.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cantwell, D. P. (1975).The hyperactive child. Sydney, Australia: Spectrum.
Cantwell, D. P. (1977). The hyperkinetic syndrome. In M. Rutter & L. Hersov (Eds.),Child psychiatry—Modern approaches, (pp. 524–556). Melbourne, Australia: Blackwell Scientific Publishing.
Cantwell, D. P., & Carlson, G. A. (1978). Stimulants. In J. S. Werry (Ed.),Pediatric psychopharmacology: The use of behavior modifying drugs in children (pp. 171–207). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Clarke, J., Gannon, M., Hughes, I., Keogh, C., Singer, G., & Wallace, M. (1977). Adjunctive behavior in humans in a group gambling situation.Physiology and Behavior, 18, 159–161.
Conners, C. K. (1973). Rating scales for use in drug studies with children.Psychopharmacology Bulletin, Special Issue (Pharmacotherapy with Children), 24–84.
Falk, J. L. (1971). The nature and determinants of adjunctive behavior.Physiology and Behavior, 6, 577–588.
Fallon, J. H., Allen, J. D., & Butler, J. A. (1979). Assessment of adjunctive behaviors in humans using a stringent control procedure.Physiology and Behavior, 22, 1089–1092.
Foster, W. S. (1978). Adjunctive behavior: An unreported phenomenon in applied behavior analysis.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 11, 545–546.
Jacob, K., O'Leary, D., & Rosenblad, D. (1978). Formal and informal classroom settings: Effects on hyperactivity.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6, 47–60.
Killeen, P. R., Hanson, S. J., & Osborne, S. R. (1978). Arousal: its genesis and manifestation as response rate.Psychological Review.85, 571–581.
Kinsbourne, M., & Swanson, J. M. (1979). Models of hyperactivity: Implications for diagnosis and treatment. In R. L. Trites (Ed.),Hyperactivity in children: Etiology, measurement and treatment implications (pp. 1–20). Baltimore: University Park Press.
Kirk, R. E. (1968).Experimental design: Procedures for the behavioral sciences. Belmont: Brooks/Cole.
Klisman, M. (1978).Adjunctive behavior in humans induced by the scheduling of cognitive reinforcements: A re-evaluation. Unpublished honors thesis, La Trobe University.
Muller, P. G., Crow, R. E., & Cheney, C. D. (1979). Schedule induced locomotor activity in humans.Journal of Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 31, 384.
Nieto, J., Maklouf, C., & Rodriguez, R. (1979). d-Amphetamine effects on behavior produced by periodic food deliveries in the rat.Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 11, 423–430.
Porges, S. W., & Smith, K. M. (1980). Defining hyperactivity: Psychophysiological and behavioral strategies. In C. Whalen & B. Henker (Eds.),Hyperactive children, the social ecology of identification and treatment. (pp. 75–104). New York: Academic Press.
Porter, J. H., Brown, R. T., & Goldsmith, P. A. (1982). Adjunctive behavior in children on fixed interval food reinforcement schedules.Physiology and Behavior, 28, 609–612.
Prior, M. R., & Sanson, A. V. (1980). Classification of hyperactive children.Medical Journal of Australia, 1, 375–376.
Robbins, T. W., & Sahakian, B. J. (1979). “Paradoxical” effects of psychomotor stimulant drugs in hyperactive children from the standpoint of behavioral pharmacology.Neuropharmacology, 18, 931–950.
Safer, D. J., & Allen, R. P. (1976).Hyperactive children, diagnosis and management. Baltimore: University Park Press.
Swanson, J. M., & Kinsbourne, M. (1979). The cognitive effective of stimulant drugs on hyperactive children. In. G. A. Hale & M. Lewis (Eds.),Attention and cognitive development (pp. 249–274). New York: Plenum Press.
Wallace, M., & Oei, T. P. S. (1981). Differences in schedule induced behavior as a function of reinforcer in humans.Physiology and Behavior, 27, 1027–2030.
Wallace, M., Sanson, A. V., & Singer, G. (1978). Adjunctive behavior in humans on a food delivery schedule.Physiology and Behavior, 20, 203–204.
Wallace, M., & Singer, G. (1976a). Theoretical review: Schedule induced behavior: A review of its generality determinants and pharmacological data.Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 5, 483–490.
Wallace, M., & Singer, G. (1976b). Adjunctive behavior and smoking induced by a maze solving schedule in humans.Physiology and Behavior, 17, 849–852.
Wallace, M., Singer, G., Wayner, M. J., & Cook, P. (1975). Adjunctive behavior in humans during game playing.Physiology and Behavior, 14, 651–654.
Wayner, M. J. (1970). A theoretical review: Motor control functions of the lateral hypothalamus and adjunctive behavior.Physiology and Behavior, 5, 1319–1325.
Wayner, M. J., Mintz, R. B., Jolicoeur, F. B., & Rondeau, D. B. (1979). Effects of methylphenidate on schedule dependent and schedule induced behavior.Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 10, 299–302.
Wender, P. H. (1971).Minimal brain dysfunction in children. New York: Wiley Interscience.
Werry, J. (1968). Developmental hyperactivity.Pediatric Clinics of North America, 15, 581–599.
Whalen, C. K., Henker, B., Collins, B. E., McQuiliffe, S. M., & Vaux, A. (1979). Peer interaction in a structured communication task: Comparisons of normal and hyperactive boys and of methylphenidate (Ritalin) and placebo effects.Child Development, 50, 388–401.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prior, M., Wallace, M. & Milton, I. Schedule-induced behavior in hyperactive children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 12, 227–243 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00910665
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00910665