Seat belt usage: A potential target for applied behavior analysis

Results of 1,579 observations of cars entering or exiting campus parking lots showed direct relationships between seat belt wearing and the intrusiveness of the engineering device designed to induce belt usage, and between device intrusiveness and system defeat. For example, all drivers with working interlocks or unlimited buzzer reminders were wearing a seat belt; but 62% of the systems with interlocks or unlimited buzzers had been defeated, and only 15.9% of the drivers in these cars were wearing a seat belt. The normative data indicated marked ineffectiveness of the negative reinforcement contingencies implied by current seat belt inducement systems; but suggested that unlimited buzzer systems would be the optimal system currently available if contingencies were developed to discourage the disconnection and circumvention of such systems. Positive reinforcement strategies are discussed that would be quite feasible for large-scale promotion of seat belt usage.     

A longitudinal analysis of personality structure and adolescent substance use

Within the context of a prospective longitudinal research design, the structure of personality and initial levels of drug use were used to predict, multivariately, later drug use among male and female adolescents. The findings indicated that personality and belief measures of nonconventionality provide a significant increment in the prediction of later drug use beyond a level achieved by knowing initial usage rates. In addition, other personality and belief measures yield further increments in the prediction of subsequent drug use. Developmentally, the results revealed a differentiation of drug use patterns across the year's time, with one pattern primarily reflecting alcohol use, and a second pattern primarily reflecting use of marijuana and ‘hard’ drugs. While both patterns were related to measures of nonconventionality, certain personality features distinguished between them. Emergent use of marijuana and ‘hard’ drugs was related to depression, mistrust and attractiveness, while emergent alcohol use was related to generosity, ambition, agility and cheerfulness. These results were cross-validated in two samples of subjects. Implications of the findings for adolescent psychosocial development are discussed.     

Left-handedness and spatial reasoning abilities: The deficit hypothesis revisited

Left-handers with an inverted handwriting posture have been found by Levy and Reid to have relatively bilateral representation of tachistoscopically tested verbal and spatial functions. On the assumption that such bilateral representation is inefficient, it was hypothesized that left-inverted subjects (N = 20) would score lower than left- and right-handers with normal handwriting postures (Ns = 64, 66 respectively) on spatial reasoning. Results were consistent with the hypothesis. Possible alternative explanations and directions for future research are outlined.     

Planning: Theoretical considerations and empirical evidence

Summary A study of processes rather than of abilities characterizes much of Luria's work on cognitive functions. The three major functional organizations in terms of cognitive functions are: arousal, coding, and planning. Each of these has been described with a special emphasis on planning. Tasks appropriate for demonstrating the processes of planning are discussed and the emergence of a planning factor through factor analytic work has been described. Considerations relating to the independence of planning and coding processes in the context of normal and abnormal development are presented next. Finally, planful behavior as an integral part of purposive behavior in humans is considered in the context of consciousness.     

On knowing the meaning of words we are unable to report confirmation of a guessing explanation

This experiment investigated Allport's (1977) claim that normal subjects can be induced to make semantic errors of the type characterised by “deep dyslexia”. The procedure followed that used by Allport except that a subject based control for the chance level of semantic errors was included. The results replicated the original finding by producing a semantic error rate of 12·7%. It was shown, however, that this rate was not significantly higher than the calculated chance rate of 11·5%. It was concluded, therefore, that the semantic error rates reported by Allport can be accounted for in terms of a guessing artefact and thus they bear no relevance to the problem of deep dyslexia.     

Interaction of genetics and separation in canine hyperkinesis and in differential responses to amphetamine

A model of childhood hyperkinesis, using the Telomian-beagle hybrid dog, is described, demonstrating the interactions of genetics and separation in the development of this syndrome and in the favorable responses of some of these dogs to amphetamine. This work represents the collaboration of three laboratories, utilizing chiefly methods of inhibitory training. Inducing separation distress enhanced the resistance to inhibitory training and the favorable responses to amphetamine.     

Visual imagery in backward masking

Observers viewed briefly presented target dot patterns, either at low contrast without a mask (no mask, or NM) or at high contrast and followed by a long-lasting patterned mask (backward masking, or BM). Experiment 1 demonstrated independent processing of NM target dots but limited capacity processing of BM target dots. Experiments 2 and 3 showed that visual images may radically change sensitivity (d′) in BM but not in NM. Results suggest that d′ is reduced if the image suppresses dots relevant for the detection task, but that d′ is raised if the image suppresses dots that compete for processing with those the observer must detect.     

Hand differences in the rate and variability of rapid tapping

Hand differences in the rate and variability of rapid tapping were evaluated for the intertap interval and its constituents-the key depression and key release phases of each tap. To accentuate potential hand differences, only subjects with a clear manual superiority in one hand were included. Relative manual proficiency on Fitts' reciprocal tapping task was used to exclude individuals with less-defined hand superiority or dominance, and to categorize subjects as having a dominant left (n=13) or right (n=11) hand. Analysis of variance indicated the dominant hand to have a shorter average intertap interval and thus a faster tapping rate. This hand difference in rate was found to be significant for the key-depression phase, but not the key-release.phase, of the tap. In each handedness group the dominant hand exhibited less variability in the intertap interval and both constituents. Potential associations of these findings with hemispheric asymmetries in sequential ability are discussed.     

Abortion: A Jewish view

A practicing physician reviews the contribution of Jewish ethics, as it relates to the structure of Jewish law, to the issue of abortion. The topics approached include the status of the fetus, the relationship of fetus to mother, abortion and murder, therapeutic abortion, and the rights of the mother. The discussion describes rabbinic answers to abortion requests and is followed by a summary of the Jewish attitudes toward termination of fetal life. An appendix is provided, dealing with central aspects of Jewish ethics, the structure of Jewish law, their relationship, and a note on abortion legislation in Israel.