Animal memory: Past, present and future

This paper introduces a special issue on animal memory and discusses progress made as a result of the present upsurge of interest in the topic, an upsurge that owes much to developments in human cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. Work reported over the last decade has shown that the memory capacity of (at least some) animals is larger—in terms both of number of items stored and of duration of retention—than might previously have been expected. Recent physiological investigations appear to have succeeded in reconciling the effect on memory of hippocampal lesions in humans and non-humans, and further work on the hippocampus may help establish the physical nature of the changes involved in setting up memories. Theoretical accounts of animal memory rely on concepts drawn from cognitive psychology, and various experimental approaches to one particular notion, that animals may rehearse recent information, are discussed. Finally, the research papers of this issue are introduced to show their place in the broad context of memory research.     

Automated testing: Past,present and future

Over the past 15 years, a considerable body of literature has built up concerning the automation of psychological tests. Most of this research has been in the area of clinical testing, and may be unfamiliar to many of those involved in occupational assessment. However, the growth of office automation over the past few years has provided the hardware support needed for the development of automated personnel assessment techniques in industry and commerce. The present paper: (1) reviews the major developments in the field of automated testing, bringing together the literature from the clinical and occupational fields; (2) describes the potential provided by microcomputers for the development of new forms of testing; (3) outlines certain problems peculiar to automated testing; and (4) describes the possible future development of ‘expert’ personnel assessment and selection decision support systems.     

Inspection time: Past, present, and future

This paper is a commentary on the other papers in this special issue. A speculative account of inspection time is presented. Inspection time is viewed as an index of a core information-processing ability which has a causal influence on the development of complex intellectual skills.     

Recent learned helplessness/irrelevance research in Japan: Conceptual framework and some experiments on learned irrelevance

In Section 1, a conceptual framework within which to study learned helplessness (LH), learned irrelevance (LI) and the related phenomena is introduced. In Section 2, three rat experiments on LI conducted in our laboratory using a conditioned suppression of licking preparation are introduced. In Experiment 1, the phenomena of LI and general LI were confirmed. In Experiment 2, random presentations of CSt/US were found to interfere with subsequent initial excitatory conditioning to CSl under random CSl/US presentations. In Experiment 3, pre-paired presentations of CSn or CSt with US before random CSt/US presentations was found to have an attenuating effect on the development of general LI.     

Community psychology in Hong Kong: Past,present, and future

The expansion of mental health services during the 1960s from a single remote mental hospital to centers and clinics in mainstream communities fostered the development of community psychology in Hong Kong. Few psychologists were initially involved in the local community mental health movement, but its momentum resulted in increasing numbers of practitioner psychologists working in community-based service settings. Community psychology in Hong Kong today consists primarily of service delivery, but also includes applied research, community organization/consultation, and community education. Despite having many parallels with the American situation, key concepts underpinning the practice of community psychology in the Territory possess their own character as a reflection of nuances in the local scene. Prospects for the continued development of community psychology in Hong Kong appear favorable. Of special relevance is the field's potential contribution to a better understanding of the psychological phenomena associated with the Territory's sociopolitical transformation in 1997.     

Research on Irrelevance, Helplessness, and Immunization against Helplessness in Spain: Past, Present, and Future

The main contribution to helplessness research in Spain was on immunization against helplessness and how it was modulated by predictability in animals or attributions in humans. Recent research have focused on factors determining the perception of non-contingency during learned irrelevance and the illusion of control during an uncontrollable experience. Its subsequent effects on covariation learning and the detection of controllability showed the influence of prior beliefs and attentional factors on covariation learning an learned helplessness whose influence should be integrated into current new learning models.     

领导者行为一致性研究:过去、现在与未来

领导者行为一致性是指员工关于领导者言行匹配程度的知觉模式。行为一致性是一个本身不存在善恶之说但对于达到道德上的善却非常必要的附属性美德。领导者行为一致性的测量方法包括情景测量法和量表测量法。在实证研究模型中,领导者行为一致性通常扮演因变量、自变量、中介变量和调节变量等角色。未来研究应该关注领导者行为一致性的多元测量方法,情景变量的调节效应,领导者行为不一致性,以及行为一致性概念在集体层次或员工层次上的应用等方面。     

Positive psychology: Past,present, and (possible) future

A survey study and two experiments were done to test the hypothesis that social flow is more enjoyable than solitary flow. In the survey study it was found that recalled social flow experiences were rated more enjoyable than solitary flow experiences. In the first experiment when challenge and skill were the same across social and solitary conditions, social flow was reported to be more enjoyable than solitary flow. In the second experiment when the level of social interdependence was manipulated it was found that participants in highly interdependent teams reported more joy in flow than individuals performing less interdependently. In both experiments, people playing simple paddleball games reported and expressed more joy performing with others than alone. Taken together, the three investigations support the conclusion that doing it together is better than doing it alone. Solitary flow, while quite enjoyable, is not as enjoyable as social flow.     

Some reflections on 25 years of the association for behavior analysis: Past, present, and future

This paper offers some reflections on the discipline and profession of behavior analysis, as well as on the Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA), on the occasion of the association's 25th anniversary. It is based on a panel session conducted at the 1999 convention that included six past presidents of ABA (Donald M. Baer, Judith E. Favell, Sigrid S. Glenn, Philip N. Hineline, Jack Michael, and Edward K. Morris) and its current Executive Director and Secretary-Treasurer (Maria E. Malott). Among the topics addressed were (a) the survival of behavior analysis in university and cultural contexts, (b) the training of behavior-analytic researchers and practitioners, (c) relations between basic and applied research, (d) convergences between behavior analysis and other disciplines, (e) the structure and function of ABA, and (f) the importance of students for the future of the association, the discipline, and the profession. Questions from the audience raised issues concerning the relevance of major behavior-analytic journals, advances in behavior analysis since the death of B. F. Skinner, and the availability of accessible, popular material on applied behavior analysis.     

Learned helplessness in the rat: time course, immunization, and reversibility.

Rats, like dogs, fail to escape following exposure to inescapable shock. This failure to escape does not dissipate in time; rats fail to escape 5 min, 1 hr., 4 hr., 24 hr., and 1 wk. after receiving inescapable shock. Rats that first learned to jump up to escape were not retarded later at bar pressing to escape following inescapable shock. Failure to escape can be broken up by forcibly exposing the rat to an escape contingency. Therefore, the effects of inescapable shock in the rat parallel learned helplessness effects in the dog.     

Behavioral neuropsychology: Past,present, and future direction with organically based affect/mood disorders

Affective/mood disturbances have been widely described in association with central nervous system dysfunction. There have been multiple divergent viewpoints regarding the origin of these disorders, however. This is not surprising, as theories evolve in relation to our degree of technological advancement. This review describes the evolution of some of these views, and discusses the advantages of behavioral neuropsychology as an effective approach to assessment/treatment in this context. Although there have been few articles published describing the use of behaviorally based approaches to treat these disorders, it is thought that this approach shows promise, particularly when combined with information based on neuropsychological assessment data. Future directions for the continued evolution of this field are outlined.