ELOPTA: A novel microcontroller-based operant device

Operant devices have been used for many years in animal behavior research, yet such devices a regenerally highly specialized and quite expensive. Although commercial models are somewhat adaptable and resilient, they are also extremely expensive and are controlled by difficult to learn proprietary software. As an alternative to commercial devices, we have designed and produced a fully functional, programmable operant device, using a PICmicro microcontroller (Microchip Technology, Inc.). The electronic operant testing apparatus (ELOPTA) is designed to deliver food when a study animal, in this case a bird, successfully depresses the correct sequence of illuminated keys. The device logs each keypress and can detect and log whenever a test animal i spositioned at the device. Data can be easily transferred to a computer and imported into any statistical analysis software. At about 3% the cost of a commercial device, ELOPTA will advance behavioral sciences, including behavioral ecology, animal learning and cognition, and ethology.     

Do the EPR correlations pose a problem for causal decision theory?

We argue that causal decision theory (CDT) is no worse off than evidential decision theory (EDT) in handling entanglement, regardless of one’s preferred interpretation of quantum mechanics. In recent works, Ahmed (Evidence, decision, and causality, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2014) and Ahmed and Caulton (Synthese, 191(18): 4315–4352, 2014) have claimed the opposite; we argue that they are mistaken. Bell-type experiments are not instances of Newcomb problems, so CDT and EDT do not diverge in their recommendations. We highlight the fact that a Causal Decision Theorist should take all lawlike correlations into account, including potentially acausal entanglement correlations. This paper also provides a brief introduction to CDT with a motivating “small” Newcomb problem. The main point of our argument is that quantum theory does not provide grounds for favouring EDT over CDT.

     

Recognition memory: One-component strength functions In the “short-term to long-term transition region”

Experimental manipulationofthe upper bound on the retention interval (30 sec, with average duration of 11 sec, vs. 2 min, with average duration of 18 sec) failed to produce evidence for independent adjustment of initial long-term and short-term storage strengths. Very accurate strength functions of retention time were obtained; these were fitted equally well by a two-component equation and a one-componentequation derived from a theory postulating sequential employment of an active attentional buffer and a one-trace passive storage system. The latter theory appears to be capable of accounting for both post-attentional and two-phase experimental strength data, using fewer free parameters than strength theories which postulate the simultaneous existence of short-term and long-term traces. Other arguments for two traces are also discussed In relation to the postulate of a single post-attentional trace.     

The EEG in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)]

This article gives an overview of electroencephalographic results obtained in the case of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Severe disturbances of background activity have been observed in all patients. Repetitive complexes usually occur transitorily, so that they cannot always be detected in individual cases. Repetitive complexes must be regarded as being typical of the disease, and consideration must be given in this connection to their particular characteristics (repetition frequency, constancy of form, relations to disorders characterized by myoclonus) and the clinical picture.     

Low-cost microcomputer networking: How to get high throughput on a low budget

A very low-cost, high-throughput laboratory data acquisition and experiment control system may be configured by using a star network architecture with a low-cost microcomputer as network controller and one or more microprocessor-based single-board controllers as satellites. A network of this type, using Apple II microcomputer ($1,500 with 48K RAM and one minidiskette drive) as main node and up to seven KIM-1 microcontrollers ($159 each) as satellites is described, and its development is discussed in detail.     

On choosing an inexpensive microcomputer for the experimental psychology laboratory

This report compares currently available. Inexpensive (minimum stand-alone disk-based con-figuration under $2,000), mass-produced microcomputers from the viewpoint of their applicability as experiment control, stimulus generation, and data collection devices for the experimental psychology laboratory.     

Social Interaction and Internet-Based Surveys: Examining the Effects of Virtual and In-Person Proctors on Careless Response

A lack of human interaction and environmental control in Internet-based data collection have been suggested as possible antecedents of careless responding, which occurs when participants respond to survey items without regard for item content. To address these possible antecedents, this study investigated whether survey proctoring deterred careless response in an undergraduate sample by reducing environmental distractions. The study randomly assigned respondents to one of three proctoring conditions: remote online un-proctored, remote online virtually proctored, and in-person classroom proctored. Data quality was examined via nine careless response indicators. Analyses indicated that proctor presence had effects on a small number of careless response indicators. Virtually proctored participants performed better than un-proctored participants on one of nine careless response indicators, and in-person proctored participants performed better on two careless response indicators compared to un-proctored participants. Environmental distraction fully mediated the relationship between in-person proctor presence and self-reported diligence. Implications for survey administration are discussed.