An eight-channel computer-controlled scanning electromyograph

A measurement system is described for the computerized detection, digitizing, and storage of electromyographic (EMG) signals from up to eight muscle groups. The use of a channel scanning technique allows almost simultaneous multichannel recording with minimal circuit redundancy. Specifically, the scanning electromyograph allows several EMG preamplifiers to share expensive isolation, signal-conditioning, and interface circuitry. The design incorporates monolithic integrated circuit preamplifiers and includes optical isolation of the preamplifier circuitry for protection of the subject. Hybrid active filter modules allow convenient selection of system bandpass characteristics. Key measurement parameters are software programmable. The scanning electromyograph is inexpensively constructed from readily available componentry. Specifications for all functional blocks within the instrument are comparable to those of commercial instrumentation.     

An inexpensive digital millisecond timer and event counter

A simple circuit for a digital millisecond timer and event counter is described. The total cost of the unit including all components, a power supply, and an enclosure is less than $30. Daily use in simple reaction time experiments has demonstrated the reliability of the design.     

The quantitative measure of pattern representation in images using orientation-specific color aftereffects

A quantitative method is developed for assessing the quality of pattern information in imagery, using the magnitude of color aftereffects as an objective index. Subjects were given instructions to project imagined bar patterns of particular width and orientation onto adapting color fields, in such a manner as to simulate standard conditions for establishing the McCollough effect. Our control procedures indicate that the resulting orientation-specific complementary color aftereffects cannot be attributed to the conditioning of particular directions of eye scanning movements to color processing during adaptation, or to other possible sources of experimental bias. Furthermore, subjects who rated themselves prior to the adaptation procedure as having relatively vivid imagery showed significantly larger aftereffects than those who reported having relatively low imagery. These results not only provide an important confirmation of our earlier finding that imagination can replace physical pattern information in the formation of basic color-feature associations in the human visual system, but also demonstrate that these aftereffects can provide a practical measure of the fidelity of pattern representation in visual images.     

Covert and overt rehearsal and elaboration during treatment in the development of assertive behavior

The present investigation examined the effects of covert and overt rehearsal and client elaboration of situations designed to train assertive behavior. Nonassertive clients (n = 61) received one of four treatments resulting from the 2 × 2 factorial combination of Modality of Rehearsal (covert vs overt) and Elaboration (elaboration vs no elaboration of training situations). A delayed-treatment group was included in the design to serve as a no-treatment control condition before subjects were assigned randomly to one of the above treatments. Treatment led to significant improvements on self-report and behavioral measures of assertiveness and self-efficacy. Covert and overt rehearsal were equally effective. However, elaboration of training situations significantly enhanced the effects of covert and overt rehearsal. Treatment effects were maintained up to a 6-month follow-up, transferred to novel role-playing situations, and brought clients within the range of other subjects (n = 45) who regarded themselves as adept in social situations requiring assertive behavior and who had not sought treatment.     

ACCEPTABILITY OF ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS FOR DEVIANT CHILD BEHAVIOR

The acceptability of alternative treatments for deviant child behavior was evaluated in two experiments. In each experiment, clinical cases were described to undergraduate students along with four different treatments in a Replicated Latin Square Design. The treatments included reinforcement of incompatible behavior, time out from reinforcement, drug therapy, and electric shock and the treatments were described as they were applied to children with problem behaviors. Experiment 1 developed an assessment device to evaluate treatment acceptability and examined whether treatments were rated as differentially acceptable. Experiment 2 replicated the first experiment and examined whether the severity of the presenting clinical problem influenced ratings of acceptability. The results indicated that treatments were sharply distinguished in overall acceptability. Reinforcement of incompatible behavior was more acceptable than other treatments which followed, in order, time out from reinforcement, drug therapy, and electric shock. Case severity influenced acceptability of alternative treatments with all treatments being rated as more acceptable with more severe cases. However, the strength of case severity was relatively small in relation to the different treatment conditions themselves which accounted for large portions of variance.     

NATURALISTIC OBSERVATIONS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED RETARDED PERSONS: A COMPARISON OF LICENSURE DECISIONS AND BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATIONS

In the last several years, various organizations have produced strikingly similar documents by which institutions for retarded persons are judged for licensure. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether residential units that were licensed differed from residential units that were not licensed in terms of the active programming behaviors of their staff and residents. Data were collected through a time-sampling procedure that yielded about 160,000 observations on eight staff and six resident behaviors. Results showed that the licensed units were just as derelict as unlicensed units in providing habilitative programming for their retarded residents. Maladaptive responding by residents occurred at least as much as task-related behaviors: residents spent as much time self-stimulating as they did in programming; they also engaged in self-abusive behavior about as much time as they engaged in on-task responding. Results were discussed in terms of the failure of governmental regulations that are not based on observation to adequately assess habilitative programming.     

The handicapped school leaver and the transition to work

Handicapped young people are disadvantaged in the search for work, and many of the most severely handicapped from special schools face particularly difficult problems in adjusting to the realities of the labour market. Careers advisers also face some acute difficulties in their interactions with handicapped young people. The relevant results of a recent national investigation into the employment experience of handicapped school leavers are examined, including information about careers advice and sources of information about jobs. It is argued that, despite the existence of careers officers who specialise in work with handicapped young people, careers guidance for this group is under-developed both inside and outside schools.     

Effects of stress and retesting on role play tests of social skill

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of stress in performance on role play tests of social skill. Chronic psychiatric patients were tested in a formal videotape studio or in an informal consulting room setting. Motoric and physiological measures were secured. In addition, one-half of the subjects were retested one week later. In contrast to previous studies, results indicated that the assessment was not stressful. The two groups were not different on any measure, and the mean heart rates ranged from only 80 to 84 b.p.m. The effects of retesting were difficult to interpret. There were reductions in motoric indices of anxiety (speech disruptions) but not on physiological indices. Overall, testretest reliability was quite high. The results raise several questions which affect interpretation of many social skills studies in the literature.     

Levels of Processing and the Cue Overload Principle

This experiment investigates the influence of processing level on the extent of Cue Overload (Watkins and Watkins, 1975, 1976) produced by semantically similar or dissimilar interpolated material. The results showed that semantically similar material only led to increased cue overload if it, itself, was processed semantically. Non-semantic processing of the same types of material failed to reveal any difference between conditions. The results are seen as supportive of the Levels of Processing approach to memory research, since they reinforce the view that different types of orienting task result in qualitative differences in the nature of processing itself. Additionally the results provide some information about the locus of cue overload effects.