Elena Clo'

Part-time student

Year of Entry: 2016

Email: eclo01@qub.ac.uk

Thesis Title: Conditioned reinforcement and its application to the teaching of children with autism

Summary of Research: Learners who are naturally less sensitive to social stimulation and language and who also demonstrate a restricted pattern of interests can be very difficult to motivate during teaching, making the intentional conditioning of stimuli as reinforcers an important priority.

Aim of this research is to deepen the knowledge of the conditioning process and to identify efficient ways to condition new reinforcers through a detailed description of the conditioning process itself. A systematic review of the literature on conditioning, both applied and basic as it’s related to the applied field is part of the research, with a special focus on the conditioning process of speech sounds and social responses.

Supervisors: Dr Katerina Dounavi; Dr Karola Dillenburger