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Verbal Behavior Research Laboratory
California State University, Sacramento
Research in the VB Lab focuses on understanding the acquisition of language and language-mediated behaviors (e.g., categorization, complex discriminations, etc.) from a behavior-analytic standpoint.
Our facilities include human and animal operant labs, data collection rooms for children (including an off-campus lab at the ABC School), as well as a campus research clinic for children with behavior disorders.
Currently, our research projects involve testing specific environmental arrangements that would give rise to novel (verbal) behavior in children with and without disabilities. One of our goals is to develop and refine protocols to teach specific skills (e.g., reading comprehension, math, self-help, etc.) to individuals diagnosed with autism. We are also interested in basic and applied research involving conditional discrimination, equivalence, naming, rule-governed behavior, self-control and other behavior management techniques.
Current Lab Projects
- The effects of language training on the development of categorization skills in children with autism.
- The role of listener and speaker training on the formation of equivalence classes with children diagnosed with autism.
- Review of operant procedures to teach spontaneous language.
Graduate Students
Jared Coon
Jessica Love
Allyne Marcon-Dawson
Leslie Mcpherson
Sergio Pinto
Evelyn Sprinkle
Research Assistants
Beau Duvall
Tracy Larson
Melinda Sandoval
Krisann Schroeder
Carolyn Steiner
Melissa Vale
Sara Vicars
Former Graduate Students
Research Partners
ABC School
BEST Consulting
STARS School
Texas Christian University
Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Brazil
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
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