Karen Lionello-DeNolf, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Director of Applied Behavior Analysis

508-767-7498 Kennedy Memorial Hall - Room 138

Degrees Earned

Ph.D., Purdue University, Experimental Psychology, 2001
M.S., Purdue University, Experimental Psychology, 1997
B.A., Illinois Wesleyan University, Psychology, 1995

Publications & Editorships

Associate Editor for Translational Research for the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

Selected Publications:

Schieltz, K., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & McComas, J. J. (2024). Extinction. In Roane, H., Craig, A., Ringdahl, J., & Sanini, V. (Eds). Translational Perspectives on Applied Behavior Analysis. pp. 271–292. Guilford Press.

Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., Benvenuti, M., & Suarez, C. (2022). Willingness to produce disadvantageous outcomes in cooperative tasks is modulated by both evolutionary mechanisms and recent experience. Learning & Behavior. Advanced online publication: https://doi.org/10.3758/s13420-021-00508-y

Morris, C., & Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (2022). Practical considerations for researchers at teaching-focused colleges. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15, 339–346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00536-6

Suarez, C. J., Benvenuti, M. F., Couto, K. C., Siqueira, J. O., Abreu-Rodrigues, J., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & Sandaker, I. (2021). Reciprocity with unequal payoffs: Cooperative and uncooperative interactions affect disadvantageous inequity aversion. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, article 628425. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.628425

Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (2021). An update on the search for symmetry in nonhumans. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 115(1), 309–325.

McIlvane, W. J., Iversen, I, H., Lattal, K. A., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & Petursdottir, A. I. (2021). An appreciation of Murray Sidman’s science and his impact. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 115(1), 4–12.

Palmer, S. K., Maguire, R. W., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & Braga-Kenyon, P. (2021). Expansion of Sidman’s theory: The inclusion of prompt stimuli in equivalence classes. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 115(1), 255–271.

Zhelezoglo, K. N., Hanson, R. J., Miguel, C. F., & Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (2021). The use of successive matching-to-sample with go/no-go procedure to establish cross-modal equivalence classes. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 115(1), 421–438.

Benvenuti, M., Siqueira, J. d, O., Suarez, C. J., Nascimento, C. A. V. S., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., and Abreu-Rodrigues, J. (2020). A preliminary two-phase test of how inequity aversion is modulated by previous dyadic interactions. Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Bulletin, 31(1), 13–21.

Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (2018, Spring). Endurance of a fad autism therapy. Assumption Magazine, 36. https://issuu.com/assumptioncollege/docs/assumptionmagazine_spring2018

Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (2018). Reversal Learning. In F. R. Volkmar (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2nd Edition. New York, NY: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_133-3

Gifford, A., Redpath, C. C., & Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (2018). Case study: Extension of a systematic data-based reinforcement system to increase independence in public-school inclusion settings to a child with Down syndrome and intellectual disability. Education and Treatment of Children, 41, 345–355.

Braga-Kenyon, P., Guilhardi, P., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & Dube, W. V. (2017). Teaching visual conditional discriminations using errorless learning: The role of prompts requiring simple and conditional discriminative control. European Journal of Behavior Analysis, 2, 180–194. DOI: 10.1080/15021149.2017.1309624

Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & McIlvane, W. J. (2016). Developing 3D-2D functional equivalence in a child with autism and severe intellectual disability: An exploratory study. Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Bulletin, 30, 6–16.

McIlvane, W. J., Gerard, C. J., Kledaras, J. B., Mackay, H. A., & Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (2016). Teaching stimulus-stimulus relations to minimally verbal individuals: Reflections on technology and future directions. European Journal of Behavior Analysis, 17, 49–68.

Lionello-DeNolf. K. M. (2016). Stimulus control. In H. L. Miller (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Theory in Psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Campos, H. C., Debert, P., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & McIlvane, W. J. (2015). Stimulus control in a go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli with pigeons. Behavioural Processes, 115, 30–36.

 

Presentations

Borge, S., & Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (2023). Academic cheating and stressors at the university level. Presented at the 63rd annual meeting of the New England Psychological Association, Worcester, MA.

Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., Eckerman, D., Hise, R., Pinzino, E., & Ray, R. (May, 2023). Teaching discrete-trial implementation with Train-to-Code. Presented at the 49th annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Denver, CO.

Sakulkoo, S., Ormandy. S., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., Mittelman, C. (May, 2023). Experimental analysis of stimulus control by punishment. Presented at the 49th annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Denver, CO.

Sutherland, J., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., Eckerman, D., & Ray, R. (October, 2022). Staff training in ABA service delivery. Presented at the 62nd annual meeting of the New England Psychological Association, Worcester, MA.

Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., Eckerman, D., Hise, R., Pinzino, E., & Ray, R. (October, 2022). Using Train-to-Code to teach implementation of discrete trial teaching programs. Presented at the 43rd annual meeting of the Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy, Worcester, MA.

Morris, C., Najdowski, A. C., Vladescu, J. C., & Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (May, 2022). Suggestions for establishing and maintaining research productivity at small universities. Panel discussion presented at the 48th annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Boston, MA.

Palmer, S., Maguire, R. W., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & Braga-Kenyon, P. R. (May, 2021). The inclusion of prompts in equivalence classes: A systematic replication with individuals diagnosed with autism. Presented at the 47th annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, San Diego, CA.

O’Rourke, T., D’Agostino, C., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., Eckerman, D. A., & Ray, R. (October, 2020). Use of a card-sort procedure to teach prompt types in ABA service delivery. Presented at the annual meeting of the New England Psychological Association, the Assumption University Undergraduate Symposium (April, 2021), and the Assumption University Graduate School Symposium, Worcester, MA (April, 2021).

Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & Benvenuti, M. F. L. (May, 2019). Previous social interactions with advantageous inequity influences aversion to disadvantageous inequity. Presented at the 45th annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Chicago, IL.

Palmer, S. V. B., Maguire, R. W., Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & Braga-Kenyon, P. R. (May, 2019). The inclusion of prompts in equivalence classes. Presented at the 45th annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Chicago, IL and the 40th annual meeting of the Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy, Worcester, MA (October, 2019).

Oikonomou, A., Savage, A, Malmborg, J., & Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (November, 2018). Fairness and inequity in cooperative tasks. Presented at the annual meeting of the New England Psychological Association, Worcester, MA and at the Fenway Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference, Emmanuel College, Boston, MA (March, 2019).

Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & Benvenuti, M. (May, 2018). Interdependent and individual group contingencies in college classrooms. Presented at the 44th annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, San Diego, CA.

Gifford, A., Redpath, C. C., & Lionello-DeNolf, K. M. (October, 2016). A systematic data-based reinforcement system to increase independence in inclusion settings. Paper presented at the 37th annual meeting of the Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy, Amherst, MA.

Grants and Awards

APA Dissertation Research Award 2000

C. Eugene Walker Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Purdue University 2000

Graduate Student Incentive Fellowship Award 2000

Research Projects

Dr. Lionello-DeNolf is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Applied Behavior Analysis Programs at Assumption University. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and an experimental psychologist. She completed her graduate training in experimental psychology with a concentration in learning and memory at Purdue University. She is currently serving as Associate Editor for Translational Research for the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Her research interests are in the areas of experimental and applied behavior analysis, autism spectrum disorders, and relational learning. Current research projects include exploring how learning history influences people’s willingness to cooperate with others in a shared task, best practices in training service delivery staff to implement teaching programs to children with autism spectrum disorder, and analysis of college-student cheating behavior from the perspective of probability discounting.