Effects of alternative reinforcement sources: A reevaluation

The effects of two alternative sources of food delivery on the key-peck responding of pigeons were examined. Pecking was maintained by a variable-interval 3-min schedule. In the presence of this schedule in different conditions, either a variable-time 3-min schedule delivering food independently of responding or an equivalent schedule that required a minimum 2-s pause between a key peck and food delivery (a differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior schedule) was added. The differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior schedule reduced response rates more than did the variable-time schedule in most instances. The delay between a key peck and the next reinforcer consistently was longer under the differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior schedule than under the variable-time schedule. Response rates and median delay between responses and reinforcers were negatively correlated. These results contradict earlier conclusions about the behavioral effects of alternative reinforcement. They suggest that an interpretation in terms of response–reinforcer contiguity is consistent with the data.     

Discrimination learning in a foraging situation

Rats were allowed to forage in a simulated natural environment made up of eight food sources (patches) each containing a fixed number of pellets. Two of the eight contained an extra supply of peanuts. The peanut patches were signaled by an olfactory/visual cue located at the bottom of the ladder leading to the patch. In successive phases the number of sessions per day, height of the patches, and availability of peanuts were manipulated. Subjects showed evidence of discrimination learning under these conditions, although the degree of discriminatory behavior varied as a function of environmental manipulations. Assessment of behavior within foraging sessions showed that subjects systematically changed their patterns of utilization of patches across time. Sampling or exploration, as well as food reinforcement, seem implicated in these results.     

Pigeons can discriminate locations presented in pictures

The present experiments were designed to teach pigeons to discriminate two locations represented by color photographs. Two sets of photographs were taken at two distinctive locations on a university campus. These sets represented several standpoints at each location. For the true-discrimination group, pictures from the two locations were differentially associated with reward; for the pseudodiscrimination group, half of the views from each location were arbitrarily but consistently associated with reward. The former group acquired the discrimination much more rapidly. These birds also showed good transfer to new views from the standpoints used in training and to a new standpoint at each location not used in training. In a second experiment, another group of pigeons could terminate any training trial by pecking an “advance” key. Three of 4 subjects used this option to reduce the duration of trials in which pictures from the negative location were presented. These data suggest that pigeons can integrate views shown in pictures into a “concept” of a location. The method used here may be the experimental analogue of a common, natural process by which animals learn to identify locations.     

对体操运动员自我时机控制能力某些因素的探讨

在跳台上,用自制“全圆弹性跳台开关”和记时器对国家体操少年优秀选手17人和儿童体操初学者20人的复制跳跃腾时的准确性、左右转体的均称性、复制腾时的迁移与干扰、运动节奏、快转90°和慢转90°的腾时时距和角度误差进行测定,根据公式: 慢转体腾时-快转体腾时(即时距)×(1-角误均数/100)=时空指数,求得每位被试的“时空指数”。以探讨体操运动员自我时机控制能力的某些因素中,哪些是潜在的,哪些是习得的,二者又如何协同发展。明确它,以便帮助运动员养成与发展自我时机控制能力问题。     

感觉寻求的人格特质及在临床上的应用

本文简要介绍了感觉寻求人格特质的近代研究。这一理论及其测量方法(SSS)起始于苏格曼(M.Zuckerman)有关感觉剥夺的实验研究,其意图在于测定最佳刺激水平的个体差异。本文回顾了近代研究文献,评述了(1)感觉寻求量表Ⅰ至Ⅴ的发展情况及四个分量表的意义,(2)量表的信度和效度的研究,(3)精神分裂症和其它精神障碍的感觉寻求特点,(4)饮用酒精、吸烟及生活紧张易感性的研究。本课题将有助于正常和异常人格的研究,并提供了对行为的新看法。     

汉字词匹配的偏侧化效应和事件相关脑电位

本研究用音同或形似汉字词对为材料检验大脑半球偏侧化问题。反应时的结果表明音同材料是右视野左半球优势,形似材料是左视野右半球优势。ERP的振幅(特别是P_(300))在音同条件下左半球比右半球显著的小,而在形似材料条件下左右半球无大差别。在两种材料的条件下,ERP潜伏期在左右半球之间也没有显出任何差别。实验结果表明左半球与汉字词匹配时的语音编码有关,而ERP(P_(300))似乎可以做它的一个有效指标。     

August Dvorak (1894-1975): Early expressions of applied behavior analysis and precision teaching

August Dvorak is best known for his development of the Dvorak keyboard. However, Dvorak also adapted and applied many behavioral and scientific management techniques to the field of education. Taken collectively, these techniques are representative of many of the procedures currently used in applied behavior analysis, in general, and especially in precision teaching. The failure to consider Dvorak's instructional methods may explain some of the discrepant findings in studies which compare the efficiency of the Dvorak to the standard keyboard. This article presents a brief background on the development of the standard (QWERTY) and Dvorak keyboards, describes parallels between Dvorak's teaching procedures and those used in precision teaching, reviews some of the comparative research on the Dvorak keyboard, and suggests some implications for further research in applying the principles of behavior analysis.