Use of Function as a Consequence in Training Receptive Labeling to Severely and Profoundly Retarded Individuals

Abstract

Four severely and profoundly retarded residents of a state institution for the mentally retarded served as subjects for a study which compared two methods for training receptive labeling skills. In the label only condition, subjects were trained to point to an object in response to the label. In the function plus label training condition, the subject was again required to point to an object in response to the label; but in addition, the function of the object was used as a consequence for a correct response. Results indicated that severely and profoundly retarded individuals acquired receptive labeling skills faster by using the function plus label method of training than by training in the label only method.