The Strobophotograph: A Device for Measuring Pitch

(Pennington, L. A., &; Berg., I. A., Eds. An Introduction to Clinical Psychology. New York: Ronald Press, 1948. Pp. 595.) Reviewed by Jane Dorroch.     

The Relation of the Galvanic Skin Reflex Recovery Curve to Reactivity,Resistance Level,and Perspiration

The effect of stimulus compounding in classical conditioning was investigated by conditioning one group of rats to a compound CS consisting of a buzzer and light and then conditioning separate groups of rats to the individual elements of the compound CS. On hurdle-jump test trials, the group of Ss conditioned to the compound CS performed better than Ss conditioned to the elements of the compound. Strength of conditioning to each of the elements of the compound CS was about equal. There was some evidence of a summation effect resulting from conditioning to the compound CS. Strength of conditioning to the compound CS was somewhat greater than the sum of the response strengths conditioned to the elements of the compound CS.     

The Equation of the Galvanic Skin Reflex Curve: I. The Dynamics of Reaction in Relation to Excitation-Background

Previous studies of double alternation learning have failed to demonstrate learning of extended double alternation sequences by nonprimate Ss. The present study investigates whether such learning can be induced by manipulations of the training procedure. Pigeons (N = 6) were trained on a double alternation procedure with continuous trial presentations. A new double alternation sequence began after each error so that the length of a sequence was a function of the accuracy of performance. All Ss learned the double alternation pattern for the first four positions of the sequence, but none learned consistently to emit longer sequences. The degree of learning was a function of several procedural variables, particularly the use of an appropriate correction procedure.     

A Mechanical Model of the Conditioned Reflex

(Wertheimer, M. Productive Thinking. New York: Harper, 1945. Pp. 224.). Reviewed by Nathan Israeli.     

A Scale for Measuring Persistence

Summary

The effectiveness of a white expert (psychologist) and that of a peer in influencing Negro mothers of low socioeconomic status were compared. Each subject was given advice by the expert after her young child had been evaluated by him. Subjects then received a positive, neutral, or negative opinion of the expert's advice from a confederate peer. Results indicated that the expert was more effective than the peer. While both sources had a significant immediate effect, the expert was also significantly influential in having subjects act after having left the testing situation. It was concluded that expertness was the strongest factor, even though other factors like race and referent-group membership might have worked against it.     

A Device for Studies in Weight Discrimination

Within-Ss 2×3 factorial design, with two methods—recall (REC) and anticipation (ANT)—and three levels of list difficulty, was used for testing the hypothesis that ANT is superior to REC only if the learning task is comparatively difficult. Each of 20 male university students learned, both by the methods of REC and ANT, pairs of 10 words and digits (WD), eight CVCs of moderate and six CCCs of low association values. Analysis of variance, except for the main effect of method, yielded high significance for all the main effects and interactions. In learning paired-associate lists for comparatively easier tasks (WD and CVC lists), no significant difference was found between the two methods. For CCC pairs, however, a significant difference was found (t = 2.50, p < .02), which supported the hypothesis. A tentative modification was suggested in W. K. Estes's theory of reinforcement in human learning.     

A Scale for Measuring Persistence in Children

Persistence and its assessment have been studied since the 1920s. One common approach in measuring persistence has been through testing the subject's ability to solve difficult or monotonous problems. Another approach has been through questionnaires. Although persistence is very important in academic achievement and in the general development of personality, no questionnaires have been developed for measuring persistence in children. The present research concerns the development of such a scale. It includes 40 items and was tested on 322 Israeli children aged 7-13. The internal reliability of the scale (Cronbach alpha) was .66, and the test-retest reliability after 6 months was .77. The scale differentiated active gymnasts from nongymnasts as well as persistent gymnasts from dropout gymnasts. In addition, significant correlations were found between the scale and the need-persistence measure of the Rosenzweig Picture Frustration Study, Locus of Control, and other measures. We discuss these findings along with the significance of persistence in everyday life.     

A Tachistoscopic Device for Work with Subhuman Primates

The present study examined predictors of siblings’ relations in 202 young adults (aged 21–32 years), who completed the Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. Results indicate that warmth between siblings is explained by gender (with women feeling closer), perceived paternal favoritism, low levels of narcissism, and an interaction suggesting that paternal favoritism moderates the link between narcissism and sibling warmth. Conflict between siblings was explained by gender (sisters), age, parental favoritism, high levels of narcissism, extreme levels of similarity or dissimilarity between siblings, and interactions indicating that older age is a predictor of conflict between siblings among women but not among men. The impact of parental favoritism and narcissism on sibling relationships in young adulthood was discussed.     

A Brief Questionnaire for Measuring Self-Efficacy in Youths

The current study examined the reliability and validity of the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C) in a sample of young adolescents (N = 330). Factor analysis of the SEQ-C revealed three factors that were in keeping with the intended subscales: social self-efficacy, academic self-efficacy, and emotional self-efficacy. Furthermore, results showed that the SEQ-C has satisfactory internal consistency. Finally, SEQ-C scores correlated in a theoretically meaningful way with a measure of depression. That is, the lower children's SEQ-C scores, the higher their level of depression. Possible applications of the SEQ-C are briefly discussed.     

A Generalized Strategy for Measuring Performance in the Velocity-Position Phase Plane

Subjects pressed a key down as fast as possible but controlled the response duration of the keypress. The task required long (300 ±100 msec) and short (150±50 msec) durations in both simple (long only or short only) and choice (mixed long and short) conditions. Choice reaction time was slower than simple reaction time, but reaction time for long and short durations did not differ significantly for either simple or choice conditions. This finding fails to support a study by Klapp, Wyatt, and Lingo (1974) which found reaction time differences between long and short durations for choice but not simple conditions.     

Changes in Skin Potentials During the Psychogalvanic Reflex

Researchers have shown that working memory is related to a variety of high-level cognitive processes. However, the results of recent research have suggested that may be because of its role in attentional control. In the present experiment, the authors investigated that hypothesis by using an attentional interference task with musical stimuli. Listeners were asked to monitor one ear for either a clarinet or violin tone and to ignore any information in the other ear. On some of the trials, they heard only one tone and on other trials, either the same instrument in both ears or different instruments. Individual differences were measured in working memory and musical experience. The results showed more attentional interference in the different-instrument condition for participants with lower working memory scores, which suggested that working memory involves the ability to control attention to inhibit irrelevant information.     

Reflex and reflectivity: Wuwei in the Zhuangzi

I will explicate Zhuangzi's conception of wuwei as it is articulated in the image of the ‘hinge of dao.’ First, I will discuss the few actual instances of the term “wuwei’ in the Zhuangzi. Second, I will show that the text uses this imagery to suggest an adaptive or reflective mode of conduct. Third, I will analyse the metaphor of the hinge, and show how this metaphor can illuminate Zhuangzi's notion of wuwei and the behaviour of the realised person. I will show that the hinge represents the way in which the ideal person responds to inevitability, and that Zhuangzi's ideal person could be described as “perfectly well‐adjusted”. Finally, I will demonstrate that this reading offers new meanings and textures to a text that has long been read in only certain ways, so that many of its subtleties have been overlooked.     

A Pursuit Device for Obtaining both Quantitative and Qualitative Records

Fifth and sixth grade students (N = 87) were divided into High Test Anxious and Low Test Anxious groups on the basis of galvanic skin responses (GSR). Ss identified as High Anxious responded positively to group systematic desensitization procedures, exhibiting significantly (p < .05) lower autonomic indices of test anxiety and significantly (p < .001) improved criterion test scores. Low Anxious Ss exposed to the systematic desensitization program demonstrated no significant change in criterion test scores.     

不同地塞米松给药方法对芬太尼咳嗽反射的研究

探讨不同地塞米松给药方法对芬太尼咳嗽反射抑制的效果。选择200例全麻患者分为四组,按不同方法静脉注射地塞米松。诱导时芬太尼用量为5Mg·kg。观察各组患者出现咳嗽的例数和强度变化以及心率（HR）、平均动脉血压（MAP）、脉搏氧饱和度（SpO2）、脑电双频谱指数（BIS）的变化。结果显示,提前15min静注地塞米松组（Ⅰ组）咳嗽发生率为8％,与其他组有显著性差异。静注芬太尼2min时段Ⅰ组的HR、MAP和BIS与其他组相比有显著性差异。组内发生咳嗽反射患者HR、MAP明显升高,BIS值也有所回升。认为预先15min静脉注射地塞米松更有效降低麻醉诱导期间芬太尼所致咳嗽反射的发生。     

The Paired Hands Test: A Technique for Measuring Friendliness

An adaptation of Wagner's Hand Test, using two hands per photograph, has provided a quickly administered, objectively scorable, projective technique for measuring spontaneous feelings toward other people along the friendliness-hostility dimension. Data supporting the reliability and validity of this technique as a sensitive instrument for its intended purpose are presented.