The effect of simulation exercises on the control of aggressive behaviour in children

Abstract.— The subjects consisted of two. matched, extremely aggressive (experimental = ExG and control = CoG) groups of twelve 8–year-old boys. and of one criterion group (CrG) of extrovert, well-controlled boys. Video-tape recording of behaviour was used both in pretest (T₁) and post-test (T₂). Between T₁ and T₂ the ExG was submitted to simulation exercises of 8 lessons given in a period of four weeks. The exercises consisted in social problem solutions on the purely cognitive (imaginary and symbolic) level and in role-playing (behavioral level). The hypothesis was that the combination of cognitive training and observational learning with the aim of making children realise alternatives to aggression in coping with thwarting situations and their after-effects. would influence individuals with strong aggressive habits to abandon theiraggressive reactions in favour of more constructive behaviour. As to aggression, the results supported the hypothesis. For constructive behaviour, (1) the ExG maintained the samelevel of control of social behaviour in T₁ and T₂, while a significant drop occurred in the GoC, and (2) the strategies of problem solution improved significantly in the ExG. In T₂, the behaviour of the ExG resembled more closely that of the CoG than the behaviour of the CrG, as hypothesized.     

A note on cue probability learning: what conditioning data reveal about cue contrast

In a probabilistic learning task with two complementary cues (C₁ and C₂) and two events (E₁ and E₂) the subject has a tendency to infer that E₂ will occur when C₂ occurs after he/she has observed that E₁ frequently goes with C₁. This phenomenon was termed cue contrast because it reflects the belief that C₂ contrasts with C₁ and should indicate E₂. Two kinds of predictions following from the notion of cue contrast were tested on response proportions from the first block of trials in four previously published experiments on cue probability learning. Of a total of 15 independent observations (eight within-group comparisons; seven between-group comparisons) 13 confirmed the predictions (sign test, p<0.005). It was concluded that cue utilization is both an inductive process based on association between cues and events and an inferential process based on contrast.     

The experience of psychosomatic symptoms in the hyperventilation provocation test and in non-hyperventilation tasks

End-tidal CO₂ was monitored in 16 nonpatient subjects during the performance of a continuous perceptual-motor task, once with and once without threat of aversive shock (counter-balanced), and during performance of the hyperventilation (HV) provocation test. Respiratory alkalosis (below 2.5% end-tidal CO₂) was produced by HV but not by the other treatments. Reports of task-related psychosomatic complaints were frequent with HV, but were also reported to some extent with the other treatments. It is concluded that psychosomatic complaints, often assumed to be associated with HV, were not specifically related to degree of hypocapnia. The constellation of seriousmindedness, perceived threat and negative hedonic tone appeared to interact with the drop in end-tidal CO₂. Our findings suggest a multifactorial model for understanding the experience of psychosomatic complaints.     

Examination of the Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Affect at Varying Levels of Aerobic Exercise Intensity

Although proposed as an explanation for increases in positive and decreases in negative affect, little evidence supports the notion of a stronger efficacy-affect relationship as acute aerobic exercise intensity increases. Relationships between self-efficacy (SE), positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) were examined with respect to 3 randomly assigned conditions: (a) no exercise (control), (b) cycling at 55% VO_2max, and (c) cycling at 70% VO_2max. Twenty subjects (age = 22.6 years; M VO_2max= 47.8 ml · kg⁻¹· min⁻¹) participated in each. Preexercise SE predicted in-task NA and postexercise PA in the 55% condition and postexercise PA in the 70% condition ( ps < .05). Although SE significantly increased from pre- to postexercise, in-task affect failed to predict these increases in SE. These data suggest that in a fit college-aged population, a stronger reciprocal relationship between preexercise SE, in-task affect, and postexercise SE does not exist with increasing levels of exercise intensity. Contrary to self-efficacy theory, no evidence was found for a reciprocal relationship. However, the relationship between efficacy and affect was such that when collapsed across conditions and time, subjects with higher SE scores reported lower NA ( p < .05).     

Cardiac modulation of startle: Effects on eye blink and higher cognitive processing

Cardiac cycle time has been shown to affect pre-attentive brainstem startle processes, such as the magnitude of acoustically evoked reflexive startle eye blinks. These effects were attributed to baro-afferent feedback mechanisms. However, it remains unclear whether cardiac cycle time plays a role in higher startle-related cognitive processes, as well. Twenty-five volunteers responded first by ’fast as possible’ button pushes (reaction time, RT), and second, rated perceived intensity of 60 acoustic startle stimuli (85, 95, or 105 dB; 50 ms duration; binaural; instantaneous rise time), which were presented either 230 or 530 ms after the R-wave, and eye blink responses were measured by EMG. RT was divided into evaluation and motor response time according to previous research. Increasing stimulus intensity enhanced startle eye blink, intensity ratings, and RT components. Eye blinks and intensity judgments were lower when startle was elicited at a latency of R + 230 ms, but RT components were differentially affected: the evaluative component was attenuated, and the motor component was accelerated when stimuli were presented 230 ms after the R-wave. We conclude that the cardiac cycle affects the attentive processing of acoustic startle stimuli.     

Estradiol and progesterone in the control of sexual receptivity in female rats

Estradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P) are both required for induction of sexual behavior in female rats under physiological conditions. Administration of E₂ in brief pulses can induce the behavior in ovariectomized rats. P does not normally exert inhibitory or anti-estrogenic effects on the behavior. The decline of sexual receptivity in ovariectomized E₂+P-treated rats is dependent upon the amount of E₂ and P given but independent on the continued presence of either hormone. Ovariectomized animals treated with a constant amount of E₂ show a behavioral rhythm which is disrupted by hypothalamic lesions and it is suggested that peptidergic neurons in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus rhythmically inhibit the behavior of ovariectomized E₂-treated rats.     

RT to tactile stimuli presented ipsi- and contralaterally to the responding hand

Subjects had to react with the hand which received a tactile stimulus (uncrossed condition) or with the hand opposite to the hand which received the stimulus (crossed condition). Four experiments were conducted. In the first three, subjects knew which hand would receive the stimulus and which hand would have to respond. In the first two experiments, subjects reacted to a simple tactile stimulus while in the third subjects had to perform a tactile discrimination before responding. No significant differences in RT under the crossed and uncrossed conditions were observed in the first three experiments. In the fourth experiment, subjects did not know which hand would receive the stimulus, and they also did not know which hand would have to respond. Under these conditions, large significant differences in RT between the crossed and uncrossed condition emerged.

The study includes a criticism of a simple structural interpretation of interhemispheric transmission time (IHTT) as proposed by Bashore (1981). Support is provided for the view that in paradigms of the kind used here, allocation of attention to a psychologically defined hemispace is a more important factor in observed RT than structural links between stimulus and response mechanisms.     

GLOBAL PROCESSING-TIME COEFFICIENTS CHARACTERIZE INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP DIFFERENCES IN COGNITIVE SPEED

Abstract— Forty participants performed seven different information processing tasks (choice reaction time, letter classification, visual search, abstract matching, line-length discrimination, mental rotation, and mental paper-folding) Slow (top quartile) and fast (bottom quartile) processors were selected based on their mean z scores Response times (RTs) of the slow and fast groups in the 21 conditions of the seven tasks were linear functions of the mean RTs of the entire group (both r²s = 99) In addition, individuals' RTs were well described by linear functions (median r²= 93) When tasks were ranked in order of complexity, the odd-even reliability of the ratio of an individual's RT to the average RT was 80, indicating that such ratios remain relatively stable across tasks Taken together, these findings indicate that the performance of an individual on diverse tasks can be predicted on the basis of a single processing-time coefficient Such coefficients may provide useful indices of the efficiency with which different individuals process information     

色觉疲劳、语义饱和对颜色范畴知觉的即时影响

颜色范畴知觉究竟是语言的还是知觉的, 或两者交互引起的认知冲突所致仍在探究与争议之中。本研究采用色觉疲劳和语义饱和操作分别独立地改变知觉或语义加工, 观察二者对颜色范畴知觉效应的即时影响, 以期探究语言和知觉对颜色范畴的作用。结果显示, 色觉疲劳操作导致范畴间颜色辨别反应时减少, 颜色范畴效应增强。语义饱和操作导致被饱和颜色词所属的范畴内颜色辨别反应时增加, 颜色范畴效应增强。说明单独改变知觉或语义加工能力均能影响CCP效应, 支持了语言标签对比模型, 即语言与知觉的交互作用引起颜色范畴知觉的观点。     

Non-Informative Effects of Stimuli Functioning as Cues

The category of a first stimulus (S₁) serving as a cue may allow a subject to predict the category of a second stimulus (S₂). However, a cue may have effects on RT to S₂ that are independent of those derived from its intended role as a predictor. These non-informative effects of a cue may add to or subtract from the benefits associated with its predictive function. Two experiments demonstrate that when S₁ is in the same category as S₂ (as is frequently the case for valid cues in cueing experiments) but provides no information about S₂, RT is slower than when S₁ is in a different category from S₂. It is suggested that this category relation effect arises because inhibition of a response to S₁ is still present when S₂ arrives and that, in some cueing experiments, it may subtract from the RT benefits derived from the cue as a predictor of S₂. Also, RT to a visual but not to an auditory S₂ was faster after an auditory S₁ than after a visual S₁. It is argued that this modality combination effect is consistent with the view that auditory signals are more alerting than visual ones and that this is another factor to be taken into account in the design of cueing and other experiments.     

PREDICTING TRAINING SUCCESS: NOT MUCH MORE THAN g

The roles of general ability ( g ) and specific abilities ( s₁ … s_g ) were investigated in prediction of job-training-school grades. Subjects were 78,041 Air Force enlistees in 82 jobs. General ability and specific abilities were defined by scores on the first and subsequent unrotated principal components of the enlistment selection and classification test, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Linear models analyses revealed that s₁ … s ₉ added little to the prediction afforded by g. It was also determined that a common prediction equation for all jobs was almost as predictive as an equation for each job.     

THE EFFECT OF CORRELATED ARTIFACTS AND TRUE VALIDITY ON THE ACCURACY OF PARAMETER ESTIMATION IN VALIDITY GENERALIZATION

The effect of non-zero intercorrelations among the three artifacts (criterion reliability, predictor reliability, and range restriction on the predictor) and true validity on the accuracy of estimation in two validity generalization models (Model 1and Model 2) was investigated. Only the Thylor Series Approximation 1(TSA1) procedure from Model 1 and the procedure with complete sample-based artifact data from Model 2 were included in this study. Six intercorrelation conditions (zero, low positive, medium positive, low negative, low negative and positive, and medium negative and positive) and two distributions of artifacts were used in this investigation. The two major conclusions from this study are: (a) Both models yielded reasonably accurate estimates of the mean of true validities (M_ρ) and (b) only Model 2 produced accurate estimates of the variance of true validities (V_ρ). The need for additional research for accurately estimating V_ρ when the three artifacts and true validity are correlated is recommended.     

Reaction time task as unconditional stimulus

The present study was conducted to demonstrate classic conditioning in electrodermal (ED) and heart rate (HR) responses by using a nonaversive reaction time (RT) task as unconditional stimulus (US). Three groups of 12 subjects each were studied to test the efficacy of this US procedure by varying the essential components of the RT task-US between groups. Eight seconds differential delay conditioning was applied in each group. Simple geometric features (square, cross) displayed on a TV screen were used as CS+ and CS−. RT task consisted of a nonaversive tone (72 dBA, 1000 or 1200 Hz) and a motor response (pressing a button with the left index finger). Subjects were asked to respond as soon as the tone stimulus was presented. The three groups received different stimulus sequences during the 16-trial acquisition phase only. In one group (Group C1), CS+ was followed by a tone to which subjects were to respond, whereas CS− was not followed by a tone. Similarly, in a second group (Group H), CS+ was followed by a tone, whereas CS− was not; however, subjects of Group H (habituation group) were not required to respond to the tone. In a third group, (Group C2) CS+ was followed by a tone to which subjects were to respond, while CS− was followed by a different tone requiring no response. According to analysis of Group C1 data, differential conditioning was obtained in each response measure. Group H displayed habituation in each response measure obtained. In Group C2, differential conditioning was obtained in the second latency window of ED responses only. In all trials, first-interval anticipatory ED responses and HR responses did occur during acquisition, but were not differentiated with respect to the CS conditions. Although the results of Group C2 need further exploration, differential conditioning of HR and in all latency windows of ED responses was demonstrated by the use of a nonaversive RT task as US.     

THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONS TO A DEPRESSANT DRUG

F rankenhaeuser , M., and B eckman , M. The susceptibility of intellectual functions to a depressant drug. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1961, 2 , 93–99.—The performance of 32 subjects in tests on four intellectual factors (verbal, numerical, inductive and spatial) during the inhalation of nitrous oxide (30 per cent N₂O and 70 per cent O₂) and a control mixture (30 per cent N₂ and 70 per cent O₂) were compared . The drug caused a highly significant deterioration in the performance of all four tests. Both speed and accuracy of performance were impaired. The problem of a possible differential susceptibility to the drug of the various intellectual functions wag attacked by a statistical analysis of the differences between the tests with regard to changes in performance during drug inhalation. No reliable differences in extent of impairment between the four tests could be demonstrated.     

Reaction time to a second stimulus as a function of intensity of the first stimulus

Reaction time (RT) to the second of two stimuli presented in rapid succession was examined as a function of the intensity of the first stimulus (S₁). It was found that the delay in RT₂ was greater following a dim first stimulus than following a bright first stimulus. The magnitude of this increase corresponded to the difference in RTs to the two intensity levels of S₁. These results support the prediction of a single channel model of response selection. Examination of mean first RTs revealed a general elevation in latency of RT. However, since this increase was not influenced by the inter-stimulus interval (ISI) or by the intensity of the second stimulus (S₂), and since the same increase was found on “catch trials“ where no S₂ was presented, this increase is considered to be a function of change in set in the double response situation.     

Inter-hemispheric remapping between arm proprioception and vision of the hand is disrupted by single pulse TMS on the left parietal cortex

Parietal cortical areas are involved in sensori-motor transformations for their respective contralateral hemifield/body. When arms of the subjects are crossed while their gaze is fixed straight ahead, vision of the hand is processed by the hemisphere ipsilateral to the arm position and proprioception of the arm by the contralateral hemisphere. It induces interhemispheric transfer and remapping. Our objective was to investigate whether a single pulse TMS applied to the left parietal cortical area would disturb interhemispheric remapping in a similar case, and would increase a simple reaction time (RT) with respect to a control single pulse TMS applied to the frontal cortical area. Two LED were superimposed and located in front of the subjects on the saggital axis. Subjects were asked to carefully fixate on these LED during each trial. The lighting of the red LED was used as a warning signal. Following the green one was illuminated after a variable delay and served as a go-signal. The hand for the response was determined before the start of each trial. TMS was applied to the left parietal, the left frontal cortical areas, or not applied to the subject. Results revealed that: (1) Irrespective of its location, single pulse TMS induced a non-specific effect similar to a startle reflex and reduced RT substantially (15 ms on average) with respect to a control condition without TMS (mean value = 153 ms). (2) Irrespective of TMS, RT were shorter when the right or the left hand was positioned in the right visual hemi-field (i.e. normal and crossed positions respectively). (3) Finally, RT increased when single pulse TMS was applied to the left parietal area and when hands were crossed irrespective of which hand was used. We concluded that interhemispheric sensori-motor remapping was disrupted by a single pulse TMS that was applied to the left parietal cortex. This effect was also combined with some visual attention directed towards the hand located on the right visual hemi-field.     

Implicit Representations of Political Leaders: A Multidimensional Analysis

Implicit cognitive representations of 20 salient political personalities (10 domestic, 10 foreign) were studied in two samples (N₁= 121; N₂= 129) over a 1-year interval. The aim of the study was to elaborate multidimensional models of voting preference by (a) representing the cognitive dimensions used by subjects in perceiving politicians, (b) contrasting perceptions of domestic and foreign leaders, (c) evaluating the effects of time, and (d) assessing individual differences between subjects on political perception. Judgments were analyzed by Carroll and Chang's (1970) Individual Differences Multidimensional Scaling (INDSCAL) procedure. Results showed that three implicit dimensions, evaluation, ideology , and leadership qualities, underlied perceptions of both domestic and foreign politicians. There were greater changes in perceptions of foreign and left-of-center leaders over the year than in judgments of domestic and right-of-center leaders; and individual differences such as attitudes, personality, and cognitive style were also significantly related to cognitive representations of politicians. Results were discussed in terms of their implications for predictive models of voting behavior, and the use of these methods in large-scale political surveys and polls is suggested.     

Balance of blood pressure equivalents as a new quantitative scale for identifying cardiac versus vascular reactor: Comparisons with Gregg, Matyas and James' (2002) hemodynamic profile scale

Abstract:  A quantitative scale for identifying cardiac versus vascular reactor, balance of blood pressure equivalents ( BE ), was newly advocated and compared with a very recently advocated one, hemodynamic profile ( HP ), by Gregg, Matyas and James (2002). BE was defined as " (Δ Q/Q ₀) P ₀'  − ( Δ R/R ₀ )P ₀." Here, P ₀ , Q ₀, and R ₀ were mean blood pressure ( P ), cardiac output ( Q ), and total peripheral resistance ( R ) during baseline, and Δ Q and Δ R were the difference scores of Q and R from baseline to stress, respectively. This was named as BE because the two terms in the formula indicated changes in Q and R in their blood pressure equivalents. Comparisons of the BE and HP scales were carried out, theoretically, in a newly introduced pressor space, on orthogonality with the extent of elevation of P (Δ P ); and then, practically, by using hypothetical data. In summary, it was shown that data points in the neighborhood in the pressor space can be judged as having not so different hemodynamic balance whether the BE or HP scale was used. As a merit, the BE scale seemed helpful to an intuitive understanding of the hemodynamics during stress. As a demerit, it cannot maintain the quasi-orthogonal relationship with Δ P when Q or R changes profoundly in the face of stress.     

音乐训练促进诗句韵律整合加工的神经过程

本研究采用ERP技术, 考察音乐训练组和对照组完成诗句押韵判断任务时, 在绝句末对韵律信息(含声调和韵母两个维度)的整合加工过程。结果发现, 在100~300 ms, 仅音乐训练组在声调/韵母合适条件下, 对韵母/声调的一致性进行深入分析, 并诱发了更大的正波; 在韵母违反条件下, 声调违反相比声调合适诱发了更小的正波。在300~750 ms, 两组被试均在绝句末对诗句内出现的韵母和声调违反进行整合分析并诱发了广泛分布的负波。不过, 对照组仅在声调/韵母合适条件下进行, 而音乐训练组则在声调/韵母违反条件下完成此过程。综上, 音乐训练组和对照组均会在诗句末完成押韵信息的整合加工, 但是音乐训练组对韵律信息(尤其是声调)的加工更敏感和快速, 并且对不同类型的违反有更精细的差异性反应