Serial learning of nonsense shapes as a function of instructions controlling labeling

In the literature on visual contrast thresholds for sine wave gratings, little attention has been paid to the psychophysical methods used to obtain these spatial-frequency response curves. Here we report a comparison of such data obtained by two quite different psychophysical methods, but otherwise under identical conditions, using five Ss. Both experiments were run by computer: (1) In the method of adjustments, the computer program merely controls the order of the stimuli and records S’s contrast settings. (2) In the forced-choice staircase (FCS) technique, the program determines how often S can discriminate the sinusoidal grating from a uniform field, informs S of his accuracy, controls the stimulus contrast on the basis of S’s preceding responses, and brackets his threshold by a series of successive approximations. Method 2 eliminates criterion effects that occur in Method 1, and hence tends to minimize individual differences. However, the FCS technique requires an order of magnitude more observing time to obtain equally smooth contrast sensitivity curves. FCS also increases the/overall sensitivity of some Ss by as much as five times, but it does not significantly change theshape of the contrast sensitivity curve; both methods show strong effects of lateral inhibition at low spatial frequencies.     

Motion-detecting mechanisms: Dual input devices?

Displacement thresholds for luminance step edges were measured for a wide range of contrasts and mean luminances. Thresholds for extended edges (longer than about 0.5°) are determined not by contrast but rather by the amplitude (L_max-L_min) of the luminance change produced by the displacement. Arguing from the standpoint of the Marr-Ullman model of movement detection, we had expected that thresholds might be jointly determined by both contrast and amplitude. Using a range of edges of different lengths, we found that differential effects of luminance and contrast can be revealed: for short edges (less than about 0.5°) thresholds are influenced by both amplitude and contrast, while for more extensive edges only amplitude has an influence. The results are consistent with the properties of a mechanism that has two separate inputs, one from a spatial operator that is contrast-dependent and one from a temporal operator that is amplitude-dependent. The spatial operator is markedly sensitive to changes in edge extent, the temporal operator much less so. The output of the spatial operator saturates early as a function of contrast.     

Staying Together: A Bidirectional Delay–Coupled Approach to Joint Action

To understand how individuals adapt to and anticipate each other in joint tasks, we employ a bidirectional delay–coupled dynamical system that allows for mutual adaptation and anticipation. In delay–coupled systems, anticipation is achieved when one system compares its own time‐delayed behavior, which implicitly includes past information about the other system’s behavior, with the other system’s instantaneous behavior. Applied to joint music performance, the model allows each system to adapt its behavior to the dynamics of the other. Model predictions of asynchrony between two simultaneously produced musical voices were compared with duet pianists’ behavior; each partner performed one voice while auditory feedback perturbations occurred at unpredictable times during live performance. As the model predicted, when auditory feedback from one musical voice was removed, the asynchrony changed: The pianist’s voice that was removed anticipated (preceded) the actions of their partner. When the auditory feedback returned and both musicians could hear each other, they rapidly returned to baseline levels of asynchrony. To understand how the pianists anticipated each other, their performances were fitted by the model to examine change in model parameters (coupling strength, time‐delay). When auditory feedback for one or both voices was removed, the fits showed the expected decrease in coupling strength and time‐delay between the systems. When feedback about the voice(s) returned, the coupling strength and time‐delay returned to baseline. These findings support the idea that when people perform actions together, they do so as a coupled bidirectional anticipatory system.     

上司地位知觉对下属默契的影响——反馈寻求行为和观点采择的作用

下属默契指的是下属与上司间不经言传而暗相投合的状态,它能潜移默化地提升下属绩效。因此,探讨下属默契的产生原因,对组织有着重要意义。鉴于此,本文以目标动机模型为理论基础,探讨了上司地位知觉对下属默契的影响及其内部机制。通过对186名企业员工的调查分析发现,上司地位知觉对下属默契有显著的正向影响;反馈寻求行为在此过程中起部分中介作用;此外,下属的观点采择能力调节了反馈寻求行为与下属默契间的正向关系。     

Case study: Improving the social interactions of a group home resident with severe and multiple disabilities

A 43-year-old man with severe mental retardation and sensory impairments and a long history of behavior problems was taught to interact more appropriately with staff members at his community-based group home. The following behaviors were targeted for change within a multiple baseline design: use of an appropriate cueing response to initiate a conversation; keeping his hands to himself when conversing with another; and not ‘badgering’ people by repeating the same question over and over. Instructions and feedback produced small, unstable improvements in the subject's behavior. When token reinforcement was added to the treatment package, large and immediate improvements were noted. The improved levels of social interactions were maintained after token reinforcement was withdrawn, suggesting the operation of naturally occurring contingencies of reinforcement.     

Identity Shift III: Effects of Publicness of Feedback and Relational Closeness in Computer-Mediated Communication

Identity shift occurs when an individual's self-perception changes as a result of feedback to her or his self-presentation. This research, the third in a series, further explores the influences of identity shift, specifically exploring the effects of the publicness of feedback to an individual and the relational closeness between the individual and feedback provider on the individual's subsequent self-perceptions of her or his extraversion. An experimental study (N = 56) utilized a 2 (extroverted/introverted) × 2 (private/public feedback) × 2 (feedback from a relationally close/nonclose partner) design. Results of between-groups analysis revealed both main intensification effects of public and relationally close feedback and an interaction effect between the conditions. Findings are discussed with respect to identity shift, the hyperpersonal model, and online self-presentation.     

改变“低挫折容忍度”的心理干预及效果评估 —— 一位奥运银牌运动员的个案研究

研究目的是描述对一名奥运选手L在奥运会前一年中进行的心理干预,以改变其“低挫折容忍度”的过程,以及评价这一理性情绪行为疗法与心理技能训练相结合的心理干预的效果。在不同的时间点采用各种评估方法对干预效果进行评估,主要的评估方法包括采用目标获得评价表进行的运动员L自我评估和教练员评估,运动员L、教练员、及搭档的“阶段性总结”评价,以及对L比赛行为的录像资料分析。通过各种评估方法所获得的结果的一致性证明了该干预方法在改变运动员的问题行为方面是有效的。通过对运动员L的问题行为的改变,提升了他在比赛中的运动表现,该运动员与其搭档在2004年雅典奥运会乒乓球男子双打项目上获得了银牌     

The power and the limits of Wittgenstein's N operator

The power of Wittgenstein's N operator described in the Tractatus is that every proposition which can be expressed in the Russellian variant of the predicate calculus familiar to him has an equivalent proposition in an extended variant of his N operator notation. This remains true if the bound variables are understood in the usual inclusive sense or in Wittgenstein's restrictive exclusive sense. The problematic limit of Wittgenstein's N operator comes from his claim that symbols alone reveal the logical status of propositions. This would require knowledge of the size of the Tractarian domain of unchangeable, simple objects, and this, Wittgenstein maintained, cannot be known.     

Movement detection thresholds and stimulus duration

Movement detection thresholds were measured for varying exposures of a moving spot. A tradeoff was found in which an increase in duration (T) was offset by a decrease in the velocity required for detection (V). In the range of durations studied (about 50–700 msec), V × T was constant. The V × T constancy was interpreted in terms of the direct detection of movement as motion, and a comparison was made with Bloch’s law.     

The Impact of a Child’s Cancer on the Father’s Relationship with His Spouse in Korea

A father of a child with cancer experiences psychological stress related to his child’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, which may affect his relationship with his spouse. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to how having a child with cancer affects the marital relationship from the perspective of the father. We examined the impact of the child’s cancer on the father’s relationship with his spouse in Korea. We conducted in-depth interviews with 20 fathers (mean age?=?41.35 years; SD?=?4.49) of children who were diagnosed with cancer before the age of 19 and were within 5 years of the diagnosis. The mean age of the child with cancer was 9.1 years (SD?=?3.68), and the mean age at diagnosis was 6.4 years (SD?=?4.08). The analysis of the interviews revealed the following four themes (and eight subthemes): conflicts between spouses (lack of father’s participation in caregiving, financial and work-related stress), mental suffering (heartbroken, torn between caregiving and work), change in communication (child-focused communication, avoiding communication), and change in the marital relationship (neglected relationship, new trust built in the relationship). A father’s increased conflict in the marital relationship after his child’s diagnosis of cancer was intensified by his limited involvement in child care and parenting responsibilities. An understanding of the change in the father’s relationship with his spouse can inform the development of a psychosocial intervention that may strengthen a father’s emotional intelligence and resilience, which could improve the marital relationship.     

Dynamic visuometric techniques

A general technique is described to automate the measurement of visual thresholds. The method is based on the dynamic analog of the method of adjustment, incorporating continuous feedback. Threshold is treated as a system interaction between some level of response and sensed input. The S tracks a stimulus that continually oscillates in magnitude around threshold. The accuracy and variability of the S’s response provides a dynamic and functional assessment of the threshold under the condition of the experiment. Techniques for instrumenting several visuometric procedures are described.     

To speak with an accent: Effects of nasal distortion on stuttering under delayed auditory feedback

The main question in this study was whether Ss stuiter less under DAF when speaking with an accent such as a nasal twang. The hypothesis was verified: A group of 21 Ss stuttered less under DAF when speaking with a nasal accent than when speaking normally. This effect was shown to be due to: (1) The change in the acoustic output as a result of speaking with the accent. A passively produced distortion of the returning feedback (after Held, 1961), which was similar to the actively articulated nasal accent, also caused the Ss to stutter less than normally. (2) Paying less attention to the disruptive feedback. The Ss were shown to pay less attention to nasal feedback, probably because producing a nasal accent requires greater attention to articulation. These results were not due to a reduction in the intelligibility of the nasal feedback, which was just as intelligible as the S’s normal voice, even in noise. The significance of these findings for general theories of DAF and pathological stuttering were discussed.     

Religious Beliefs or Physicians’ Behavior: What Makes a Patient More Prone to Accept a Physician to Address His/Her Spiritual Issues?

The present study aims to understand the relation between religious beliefs, physicians’ behavior and patients’ opinions regarding “Spirituality, religiosity and health (S/R)” issues, and what makes a patient more prone to accept a physician to address his/her spiritual issues. A cross-sectional study was carried out in outpatients from a tertiary hospital, and a path analysis was used to examine the direct and indirect relationships between the variables. For the final analysis, 300 outpatients were evaluated. Most patients would like their doctors to address S/R issues but did not feel comfortable to ask them. In contrast, they reported most doctors have never addressed S/R issues, and they believe doctors are not prepared to address these issues. The path analysis revealed that patients’ previous experiences with their doctors may be as important as their religious/spiritual beliefs in proneness to accept a physician to address his/her spiritual issues.     

Subject and Experimenter Errors in Behavioral Research with Particular Reference to Motor Behavior

Sources of error stemming from S and E and their interaction were identified, their prevalence in behavioral science research discussed, and means for eliminating or discounting them suggested. The findings reviewed indicated that E may bias his findings by indicating to S the demand characteristics of the experimental situation. S errors include such behavior as trying to be over-helpful, attempting to defeat E’s intentions, and the Hawthorne effect. Errors from E may arise by transmitting subtle cues to S as to the hypothesized outcome of the experiment, E’s various characteristics, situational factors, and intentional errors. The applicability of these errors to mo tor behavior research was discussed.     

The effect of feedback on children’s metacognitive judgments: a heuristic account

In three experiments, we investigated whether the feedback effect on the accuracy of children’s metacognitive judgments results from an improvement in monitoring processes or the use of the Anchoring-and-Adjustment heuristic. Experiment 1 revealed that adding feedback increased the accuracy of young children’s (aged 4, 6, and 8 years) memory prediction. In Experiment 2, the influence of an external anchor on children’s metacognitive judgment was established. Finally, in Experiment 3, two memory tasks that differed in terms of difficulty were administered. Participants were randomly assigned to an anchoring (high/low/no anchor) and a feedback (feedback/no feedback) condition. Results demonstrated that children in the feedback condition adjusted their predictions toward the feedback, regardless of the task’s difficulty. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that external information provided by feedback is used as an anchor for judgment. This interpretation is strengthened by the correlation found between the two scores computed to assess participants’ susceptibility to anchoring and feedback effects, which indicates that children who are more sensitive to the anchoring effect are also more sensitive to the feedback effect.     

Dyadic Coping in the U.S.: Psychometric Properties and Validity for Use of the English Version of the Dyadic Coping Inventory

A majority of individuals living in the U.S. experience unhealthy levels of stress; however, romantic partners can help mitigate stress’ deleterious effects by coping together (dyadic coping). The Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI) measures coping behaviors when one or both partners experience stress. Specifically, the DCI measures a) partner’s self-report of his/her own (Self) and their partner’s (Partner) behavior, and b) Common DC during the experience of a common stressor. Despite its wide use, the DCI has not yet been validated for use in the United States (U.S.). The aim of this study was to address this gap in the literature. Using a sample of 938 individuals in the U.S. currently involved in a romantic relationship, we validated the English version of the DCI by analyzing its factorial structure and psychometric properties. Results supported the theoretically assumed factorial structure of the DCI. Convergent and discriminant validity, as well as measurement invariance across gender and culture using the original Swiss sample, was confirmed. The English version of the DCI is a valid self-report instrument for assessing couples' coping in the U.S.     

The Relation of Parent and Child Gender to Parental Tolerance of Child Disruptive Behaviors

Parental tolerance has been defined as the degree to which a parent tends to be annoyed by his or her child’s disruptive behavior. The purpose of the current study is to examine the relation of both parent and child gender to parental tolerance of child disruptive behaviors. Participants were 150 parents with 3–6 year-old at-risk children (47.5 % girls) who sought help with parenting of their child’s oppositional defiant behaviors. Tolerance was measured by the difference between parent ratings of intensity on 36 disruptive behaviors and whether each behavior was identified as a problem (resulting in a score of either high, expected, or low tolerance). A 2 (child gender) by 2 (parent gender) analysis of variance was conducted on the tolerance score. A significant interaction between child and parent gender emerged: Mothers were equally tolerant of boys’ and girls’ oppositional defiant behavior but fathers were more tolerant of boys’ than girls’ oppositional behavior. Exploratory analyses suggested that this interaction may be qualified by clinical status of the child. Implications and future directions are discussed.     

Franz Joseph Gall's non-cortical faculties and their organs

Franz Joseph Gall (1758–1828) is remembered for his claims that behavior results from a large number of independent mental faculties, and that these faculties are associated with cortical organs. Apart from the 26 faculties he localized in the cerebrum, he also recognized one faculty (reproductive drive) in the cerebellum. This picture, however, is based on Gall's presentations in his well-known later works, his four volume Anatomie et Physiologie. These books reflect the outcomes of Gall's thinking. They were steered by the observations and feedback he received in Vienna and while presenting his theories in the German states and neighboring countries between 1805 and 1807. Examining his lists before what he published in Paris shows how his faculties were changing. Notably, and as shown here, he had previously included several faculties associated with brainstem structures, in addition to the cerebellum, which he would continue to associate with some reproductive behaviors.     

Consequences of Positive and Negative Feedback: The Impact on Emotions and Extra-Role Behaviors

These studies examine employees’ emotional reactions to performance feedback from their supervisors as well as subsequent effects on attitudes and (intentions to show) affect‐driven work behaviors (counterproductive behavior, turnover, citizenship, and affective commitment). A pre‐study (N= 72) illustrates that employees regularly receive performance feedback from supervisors and that this feedback elicits different positive and negative emotions. Next, a scenario experiment (Study 1) comparing the effects of positive/negative feedback given in public/private was conducted, with a student sample (N= 240) and a sample of working adults (N= 107). In both samples, feedback has an impact on emotions and subsequently on work attitudes and behavioral intentions. The results from the scenario experiment were validated in a survey study (Study 2) among employees of a for‐profit research firm (N= 86) who reported on recalled emotions and work behaviors after receiving performance feedback during appraisals. Again, different types of feedback relate to different emotions. In turn, these emotions were related to subsequent work behaviors and attitudes. Together, these studies show that feedback affects recipients’ emotions and that such emotional reactions mediate the relationship between feedback and counterproductive behavior, turnover intentions, citizenship, and affective commitment. Ces travaux abordent les réactions émotives des salariés suite au feedback sur leurs performances en provenance de leur supérieur, ainsi que l’impact sur les attitudes et, au niveau des intentions, sur les conduites professionnelles soumises aux affects (comportements contre‐productifs, démissions, citoyenneté et implication affective). Une préenquête (N= 72) a montré que les salariés reçoivent régulièrement des informations sur leurs résultats de la part de leur supérieur et que cette situation provoque des émotions à la fois positives et négatives. Ensuite, une expérience (Etude n° 1) comparant les conséquences d’un feedback positif ou négatif exprimé en public ou en privé a été menée à bien sur un échantillon d’étudiants (N= 240) et sur un échantillon de travailleurs (N= 107). Dans les deux cas, la rétroaction avait des retombées sur les émotions et par suite sur les attitudes professionnelles et les intentions comportementales. Les conclusions de cette expérience ont été confirmées lors d’une enquête (Etude n? 2) réalisées auprès de salariés d’une société commerciale qui décrirent leurs émotions et leurs comportements professionnels à l’issue d’une rétroaction sur leur performance lors d’une évaluation. Comme prévu, les différentes sortes de feedback sont en relation avec des émotions différentes; puis ces émotions provoquent des attitudes et des conduites professionnelles spécifiques. Au total, ces travaux montrent que le feedback affecte les émotions des individus concernés et que ces réactions émotives s’insèrent dans la relation entre la rétroaction et les comportements contre‐productifs, les projets de démission, la citoyenneté et l’implication affective.     

The ethic of truths: Badiou and Pierre Rivière

Drawing on Badiou, 2002, Badiou, 2009 theory of the subject and his ethic of truths, this paper extends the analyses made by Foucault (1975) of the court documents of Pierre Rivière’s trial. Pierre Rivière wanted to bring about social change. His three murders, along with the Memoir he wrote afterwards, were not only an attempt to solve an intractable problem in his own family, but also to draw the world’s attention to what was wrong with society. Yet immediately after his murderous act, Pierre Rivière thought of what he had done as monstrous and evil. In order to explore his conflicting thoughts and emotions that led to the murders this paper draws on Badiou’s definitions of an event (a movement in thought and action through which the world changes) and of evil (where commitment to an event denies the multiplicity of truths, and sacrifices others to a singular cause). It asks in what way Pierre Rivière’s triple parricide can be thought of as contributing to an event, and how it was that his contribution turned to evil.