Skip to main content
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis logoLink to Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
. 1969 Winter;2(4):265–276. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1969.2-265

Suppression of normal speech disfluencies through response cost1

Gerald M Siegel 1, Joanne Lenske 1, Patricia Broen 1
PMCID: PMC1311078  PMID: 16795231

Abstract

The speech disfluencies of five normal-speaking college students were modified in a series of 10 to 17 sessions by means of response cost. During Point-loss, each disfluency (repetition or interjection of a sound, syllable, word, etc.) resulted in the loss of a penny, as indicated on a screen in front of the subject. Disfluencies were suppressed and kept at very low levels for four of the subjects during the punishment procedures, and there was general resistance to extinction. Even though points were subtracted only during speech, there was a tendency for disfluencies to decrease, though not as markedly, during reading probes as well.

Full text

PDF
275

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Boomer D. S. Hesitation and grammatical encoding. Lang Speech. 1965 Jul-Sep;8(3):148–158. doi: 10.1177/002383096500800302. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brookshire R. H., Martin R. R. The differential effects of three verbal punishers on the disfluencies of normal speakers. J Speech Hear Res. 1967 Sep;10(3):496–505. doi: 10.1044/jshr.1003.496. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. JOHNSON W. Measurements of oral reading and speaking rate and disfluency of adult male and female stutterers and nonstutterers. J Speech Hear Disord. 1961 Jun;NaN(Suppl 7):1–20. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. MAHL G. F. Disturbances and silences in the patient's speech in psychotherapy. J Abnorm Psychol. 1956 Jul;53(1):1–15. doi: 10.1037/h0047552. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Martin R. R., Siegel G. M. The effects of a neutral stimulus (buzzer) on motor responses and disfluencies in normal speakers. J Speech Hear Res. 1969 Mar;12(1):179–184. doi: 10.1044/jshr.1201.179. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. SHAMES G. H., SHERRICK C. E., Jr A discussion of nonfluency and stuttering as operant behavior. J Speech Hear Disord. 1963 Feb;28:3–18. doi: 10.1044/jshd.2801.03. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Siegel G. M., Martin R. R. The effects of verbal stimuli on disfluencies during spontaneous speech. J Speech Hear Res. 1968 Jun;11(2):358–364. doi: 10.1044/jshr.1102.358. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Siegel G. M., Martin R. R. Verbal punishment of disfluencies during spontaneous speech. Lang Speech. 1967 Oct-Dec;10(4):244–252. doi: 10.1177/002383096701000404. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. WEINER H. Some effects of response cost upon human operant behavior. J Exp Anal Behav. 1962 Apr;5:201–208. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1962.5-201. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis are provided here courtesy of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

RESOURCES