Periodicities within a fixed-interval session

Within-session periodicities in number of responses per interval and postreinforcement pauses were investigated on fixed-interval schedules of 1, 2, and 3 minutes with rats. Postreinforcement pause values and the number of responses in successive intervals were not systematically related. The direction of change of these variables from one pair of intervals to the next revealed periodicities in that the direction of change varied more than would be expected by chance. A response prevention technique used to manipulate the length of time spent responding in an interval had little effect on the postreinforcement pause value of the next interval except when only a single response was permitted in an interval. This procedure tended to reduce the postreinforcement pause value of the next interval to an abnormally low level.     

Understanding consumption within a care home: an interpretation of George's experiences of life and death

• We are witnessing perhaps the most important shift in the history of mankind – the rapid ageing of the earth's population. This trend raises such issues as elderly care giving and living arrangements in old age. By virtue, the author suggests that managing service provision for elderly consumers within care homes is going to become an increasingly important issue as more consumers live longer and require care. Moreover, given the paucity of literature related to elderly consumers' understandings of such institutions this research aims to illuminate and distil this issue. Based on interpretive methods the author reveals that elderly consumers such as George actively consume life and death related experiences in order to create a meaningful existence within the context of a care home.

Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Varying wheel-running reinforcer duration within a session: effect on the revolution-postreinforcement pause relation

Previous investigations of wheel-running reinforcement that manipulated reinforcer duration across conditions showed a strong relation between wheel-running rate and average postreinforcement pause (PRP) duration. To determine if the basis of this relation across conditions was a local effect of fatigue or satiation, the correlation between revolutions run and the duration of the immediately following PRP was investigated under conditions in which reinforcer duration was either constant or variable within a session. Seven male Wistar rats pressed a lever on a fixed-interval 60-s reinforcement schedule with the opportunity to run for 60 s as the reinforcing consequence. In the constant-duration condition, the duration of the reinforcer was always 60 s. In the variable-duration condition, the duration of the reinforcer varied between 2 and 240 s with a mean of 60 s. Mean correlations between revolutions run and the next PRP duration for constant, variable, and constant conditions were -.07, .20, and -.07, respectively. Although the positive correlation in the variable-duration condition is consistent with an effect of momentary fatigue or satiation, little of the variance in PRP duration appears to be attributable to these factors.     

Inhibition within a reference frame during the interpretation of spatial language

Spatial terms such as right are potentially ambiguous because they can refer to different regions of space when defined by competing reference frames (e.g., my right within a relative reference frame versus an object's right within an intrinsic reference frame). In such situations, previous research has suggested that multiple reference frames are initially activated, followed by inhibition of the reference frame that is not ultimately selected to define the spatial term. Reference frames are complex multi-component representations, raising the question of exactly which components of the non-selected frame are inhibited. It is possible that the whole frame may be inhibited, including all axes and endpoints, or that only select endpoints and axes may be inhibited. Three experiments conducted using a negative priming paradigm revealed that only certain components of the non-selected reference frame were inhibited, consistent with the idea that some axes are privileged. These results also suggest that the components of a reference frame can be independently accessed. Implications for representing and accessing spatial information are discussed.     

Having an interpretation

I investigate what it means to have an interpretation of our language, how we manage to bestow a determinate interpretation to our utterances, and to which extent our interpretation of the world is determinate. All this is done in dialogue with van Fraassen’s insightful discussion of Putnam’s model-theoretic argument and of scientific structuralism.     

Within-session rates of responding when reinforcer magnitude is changed within the session

In the present experiment, the authors investigated the idea that within-session changes in operant response rates occur because subjects sensitize and then habituate to the reinforcer. If that is true, then altering an aspect of the reinforcer within the session should alter the observed within-session responding. The authors tested that idea by having rats press a lever for 2 food-pellet reinforcers delivered by a variable-interval 120-s schedule during 60-min baseline sessions. In treatment conditions, the magnitude of the reinforcer was halved (1 pellet) or doubled (4 pellets) 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 min into the session. That magnitude of reinforcement then remained in effect for the rest of the session. Altering reinforcer magnitude altered the rates of responding within the session in a fashion consistent with the habituation explanation, that is, response rates increased, relative to baseline, when the magnitude of reinforcement was increased. They decreased when the magnitude was decreased. Those results were seemingly inconsistent with the competing idea that within-session decreases in responding rates are produced by satiation.     

Changing behavior within session: cyclicity and perseverance produced by varying the minimum ratio of a variable-ratio schedule

Four pigeons repeatedly chose between a fixed-ratio (FR) 20 and a variable-ratio (VR) 40 schedule of reinforcement, in which the minimum ratio of the VR cycled within each session. The minimum ratio ascended and descended (ASCDESC), descended and ascended (DESCASC), or remained constant (unchanging). In Phase 1, 2 birds (Group 1) were exposed to ASCDESC series and 2 birds (Group 2) were exposed to the DESCASC series. Choice proportions changed with the cycling minimum ratio for Group 2 but not for Group 1. In Phase 2, Group 1 subjects were exposed to the DESCASC series and Group 2 subjects were exposed to the unchanging condition. Although Group 1's choice proportions appeared to be undifferentiated in Phase 2, Group 2's choice proportions continued to cycle for more than 100 sessions. Group 2 subjects were then moved to the ASCDESC series in the third phase, and choice proportions cycled with the minimum ratio as in the first phase. The descending portion of the series was the more powerful determinant of cyclicity. Response rates also changed with the minimum component ratio, a finding that goes against the claim of universality of a rise-and-fall within-session pattern of responding. That preference varied despite the constancy of the average ratio requirement suggests nonlinear averaging in quantitatively representing a variable schedule's value. The strong perseverance observed also lends support to a growing body of literature on history effects.     

Inducing an interpretation bias changes self-imagery: a preliminary investigation

Prior work suggests that variations in self-imagery can influence the emotional interpretations people make about social situations. The current experiment investigated the converse possibility: that inducing an inferential bias can change the content of self-related images. The effects of repeated practice in accessing either negative or positive social outcomes was tested by having participants report on self-images generated during subsequent experience with ambiguous social situations. Participants and independent judges rated the content of participants’ self-images as being more negative after prior practice in accessing negative rather than positive social outcomes. Furthermore, participants who practiced accessing negative outcomes rated their anticipated anxiety in an imagined stressful social situation as being greater, and their expected social performance as poorer than participants in the positive outcome group. Groups did not differ in state anxiety levels when making their ratings, so it is unlikely that any observed differences between groups can be attributed to mood effects. We suggest that this finding is consistent with the hypothesis that inferential biases and content of self-images can interact with each other and may together serve to maintain social anxiety.     

The right to parenthood: an argument for a narrow interpretation

The paper argues for two kinds of limitations on the right of parenthood. First, it claims that the right to parenthood does not entail a right to have as many children as one desires. This conclusion follows from the standard justifications for the right to parenthood, none of which establishes the need to grant special protection to having as many children as one desires. Second, with respect to the right to receive assistance from the state in IVF, it is suggested that the state should also be allowed to take non-medical considerations into account in determining whether or not an applicant is entitled to this service, particularly in cases where the applicant seems to lack mothering ability.     

Remarks on an Avoidable Error in a Posteriori Testing

This article discusses a widespread error that occurs with a posteriori testing in factorial analyses of variance. Frequently, an incorrect sample size is used under the radical in the formula for computing a critical difference such as the Fisher least significance difference. This usually leads to an inappropriately large critical difference; thus, few if any significant differences are uncovered between the means. An interesting example of this error, from a journal article by Van Berschot (1979), is examined. Researchers are urged always to use under the radical the number of observations on which each mean being compared is based.     

The effects of meeting a family therapy supervision team on client satisfaction in an initial session

Despite the wide use of live supervision in marriage and family therapy training, there have been no randomized trials comparing different variations of the practice. This randomized trial of 86 clients was designed to measure client satisfaction after an initial therapy session under two conditions: meeting the supervision team behind the observation mirror or not meeting the team. A mixed linear model analysis of covariance was used to examine the relationship between ‘meeting the team’ versus ‘not meeting the team’ and client satisfaction. There were no statistically significant differences in client satisfaction based on whether clients met the team or not. There was a trend toward greater satisfaction with the therapy session among clients who did not meet the supervision team.     

Single session treatment of a borderline personality disorder

Debbie, a patient in ongoing therapy, volunteered to assist in a workshop by participating in an interview. The goals of the session were to identify some small, discrete problem that could be worked on in the limited time available, and to demonstrate how a short-term treatment can be used.The issues considered revolved around Debbie's schema. Her early abuse set several schemas that have directed Debbie's life. The goals of the therapy would be to help modify those rules. The single session was a microcosm of a longer-term therapy. Overall, from the reports of the patient and her therapist, on follow-up, she was able to do the homework with the the therapist's assistance and found that it was helpful in countering the negative thoughts. This led to a lifting of the concomitant depression and a diminution in the self-injurious behavior.Many sessions would be needed to reinforce and strengthen the exercise strated in this session. Overall, I would see this session as both a successful treatment session and a demonstration of how identifying discrete, proximal goals can benefit patients with long-standing Axis II problems. The hypotheses and questions led to data gathering and hypothesis testing. Throughout the session, it was essential to be aware of the likely schemas so that some could be used in the session, while others were clearly avoided. By developing a conceptualization or model of the problem(s), a set of interventions could be mobilized within the session and as homework between sessions. By working toward a coping model of treatment rather than attempting to cure long-standing problems, brief cognitive behavioral interventions can be successful.     

Testing the efficacy of a new procedure for reducing faking on personality tests within selection contexts

The authors propose a new procedure for reducing faking on personality tests within selection contexts. This computer-based procedure attempts to identify and warn potential fakers early on during the testing process and then give them a chance for recourse. Two field studies were conducted to test the efficacy of the proposed procedure. Study 1 participants were 157 applicants competing for 10 staff positions at a large university located in a southern city in the People's Republic of China. In Study 1, potential fakers received a warning message, whereas nonfakers received a nonwarning (control) message. Study 2 participants were 386 Chinese college students applying for membership of a popular student organization at the same university where Study 1 was conducted. In Study 2, the warning and control messages were randomly assigned to all applicants. Results showed some promise for the proposed procedure, but several practical issues need to be considered.