The Skinner Box

Research

As a researcher, my primary interests, broadly defined, are the application of basic behavioral principles to problems of social significance (including obesity, physical fitness, autism, and other community health issues). Conceptually, I am interested in the role of verbal behavior in “complex” human behavior like decision-making, planning, and problem solving, as well as the philosophy of science in general.

Current Projects

Increasing Physical Activity in Obese Adults
Increasing Physical Activity in Obese Children
Functional Analysis of Verbal Behavior
Child Compliance

If you are a student interested in joining the lab, please contact Dr. Normand. (Note: Research meetings are held on Wednesdays from 1-2pm.)

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

Normand, M. P. (in press). Much ado about nothing? Some comments on B. F. Skinner's definition of verbal behavior. The Behavior Analyst.

Normand, M. P. (2008). Science, skepticism, and applied behavior analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1, 42-49.

Normand, M. P. (2008). Increasing physical activity through self-monitoring, goal-setting, and feedback. Behavioral Interventions, 23, 227-236. [abstract]

Zuluaga, C. A., & Normand, M. P. (2008). Evaluation of the high-probability instruction sequence with and without programmed reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 41, 453-457. [abstract]

Normand, M. P., Severtson, E.S., & Beavers, G. A. (2008). A functional analysis of non-vocal verbal behavior of a young child with autism. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 24, 63-67. [abstract]

Normand, M. P., & Dallery, J. (2007). Mercury rising: Exposing the vaccine-autism myth. Skeptic, 13, 32-36.

Bullock, C., & Normand, M. (2006). The effects of a high-probability instruction sequence and response-independent reinforcer delivery on child compliance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 39, 495-499. [abstract]

Normand, M. P., & Knoll, M. (2006). The effects of a stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure on the unprompted vocalizations of a young child diagnosed with autism. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 22, 81-85. [abstract]

Wilder, D. A., Normand, M. P., & Atwell, J. (2005). Noncontingent reinforcement as treatment for self-injury and food refusal. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38, 549-553. [abstract]