Representation and retention of three-event sequences in pigeons

The present experiments studied a three-event delayed sequence-discrimination (DSD) task: one arrangement (order) of two stimuli (red and yellow overhead lights) taken three in succession (e.g., red, yellow, red) was the positive sequence and the remaining seven arrangements were the negative sequences for responding and reward during the subsequent test stimulus. In Experiment 1, the final stimulus (recency) and the order of stimuli in the positive sequence controlled acquisition of discrimination. In Experiment 2, increasing the duration of memory intervals between stimuli reduced the discriminability of those negative sequences identical to the positive sequence after the delay. Three-event DSD performance in Experiments 1 and 2 was similar to two-event DSD performance in comparable published experiments. Models developed to explain pigeon performance in two-event DSD were extended to the three-event task. Results from both two- and three-event versions of the DSD task falsified a noncumulative model and several cumulative integration models (i.e., adding, averging, and some multiplying models), but corroborated one cumulative, multiplying model.     

Interhemispheric phase relations in children of early school age

The cross-correlation method was used to measure interhemisphere phase differences over four areas of the brain in 22 healthy children aged between 7 and 10 years. Apart from defining normal values, the authors describe age-dependent characteristics and changes that take place as a result of mental stress.     

Just world beliefs in an unjust society: A cross cultural comparison

Groups of matched British students(N = 53) and school-children (N = 70) and South African students(N = 86) and school-children(N = 69) completed the Rubin-Peplau Just World scale which yields three scores: beliefs in a just world (JW), beliefs in an unjust world (UJW), difference between just and unjust scores. A three-way (2 sex, 2 nationality, 2 education status) ANOVA was computed which showed that although there were no sex, and only one educational status difference, nationality yielded a highly significant difference on both just world, and total scores. The results were interpreted in terms of previous studies of just world beliefs and authoritarianism in South Africa. It was argued that beliefs in a just world help people justify the status quo in unjust societies.     

Attention,autonomic arousal,and personality in behaviorally disordered children

This study assessed the construct validity of the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist (RBPC) by measuring attention, autonomie arousal, and personality in 40 behaviorally disordered children aged 7 to 15 years. Conduct Disorder and Socialized Aggression subscales were characterized by high Psychoticism, Impulsivity, and Lie personality scores, by lower heart rate levels, and by more errors on a continuous performance reaction-time task. Conversely, Attention Problems, Anxiety Withdrawal, and Motor Excess were characterized by greater variability in reaction times. Conduct Disorder alone was related to an external locus of control, while only Attention Problems was characterized by low scores on the WISC Freedom from Distraction factor. These differential relationships suggest (a) support for the construct validity of the RBPC, (b) that antisocial behavior and hyperactivity/attention deficits are dissociated disorders, and (c) that hyperactivity/attention deficits may be characterized by fluctuations in the allocation of attentional resources rather than a core structural deficit in attention.     

Effects of time of day and medium of presentation on immediate recall of violent and non-violent news

A sample of 103 subjects from a technical training college were randomly assigned to nine groups and presented with a sequence of violent and non-violent news stories either audiovisually (via television), in audio-only, or in print at three different times of day (morning—9.30 am, early afternoon—1.30 pm, and later afternoon—5.30 pm). Subjects were tested for immediate cued recall of story content immediately after presentation. There were significant main effects of presentation modality, time of day and news content. Memory for news was best from print and worst from the audiovisual presentation. Memory performance was best in the morning and worst in the evening. Violent news was recalled better than non-violent news in all media and at all times of day. There were also some interactions. Recall of violent news presented in audiovisual and audio-only modalities deteriorated more from morning to afternoon than did non-violent news recall. Non-violent news recall from these two media declined more rapidly in the second half of the day. With print, recall of both violent and non-violent news dropped off more in the late afternoon than in the morning. Practical implications of the findings for news presentation are discussed.     

The type a behavior pattern and the need to prove oneself: A correlational study

This study set out to investigate the relationship between the Type A behavior pattern, the need for approval, and the need to prove oneself. One hundred and two subjects completed four questionnaires: two measuring A-type behavior, one social desirability, and one—especially devised for this study—the belief in the need to prove oneself consistently. Results showed that Type A’s have significantly lower needs for approval than Type B’s, yet appear to show considerably greater interest in comparing their achievements with others. It seems that Type A’s do not have any special need to prove their worth to others, but that they must constantly prove themselves to themselves. Limitations of this preliminary study are discussed.     

Has the cataphasic form of schizophrenia increased in modern times?

According to our investigations the incidence of cataphasia, which is a subtype of schizophrenia, has become more common in the last years and on average, has started earlier in life. As the central disorder of this illness concerns thinking perhaps there exists a relation of our finding to the rapid modern development of techniques, insofar as the cognitive function is overstrained in childhood and adolescence, when the nervous system has not matured yet. Introverted individuals seem to be at a particular risk. However, it must not be disregarded that cataphasia is an inherited illness which cannot be caused by external influences, but can only be promoted in its manifestation.     

Lay conceptions of neuroticism

This paper is concerned with various aspects of a lay-person's conceptualization of neuroticism. Three experiments are reported which aim to investigate various determinants of the common-sense conception of neuroticism. In the first experiment subjects completed various standardized psychological tests measuring neuroticism and anxiety, while also estimating the extent of their own anxiety and neuroticism. In the second experiment subjects attempted to detect items measuring neuroticism in a standard personality questionnaire and secondly estimate the extent of their own and the ‘average’ person's neuroticism. Finally, in the third experiment subjects rated the typicality of various neurotic traits and behaviour which had been supplied by subjects in the previous two experiments. The results suggested some similarity in expert explicit theories and lay-person implicit theories, though there appeared to be systematic biases in the subjects' perception of their own neuroticism. The results are discussed in terms of the correspondence between implicit theories and explicit theories, and the functions of each theory in everyday life are considered. Problems associated with these studies and this research in general are discussed.