The widespread influence of the Rescorla-Wagner model

The theory of Pavlovian conditioning presented by Robert Rescorla and Allan Wagner in 1972 (the Rescorla-Wagner model) has been enormously important in animal learning research. It also has been applied in a variety of areas other than animal learning. We summarize the contribution of the Rescorla-Wagner model to research in verbal learning, social psychology, human category learning, human judgments of correlational relationships, transitive inference, color aftereffects, and physiological regulation. We conclude that there have been few models in experimental psychology as influential as the Rescorla-Wagner model.     

Visual position discrimination: A model relating temporal and spatial factors

Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics - This paper presents a decision theory model of the perceptual processes by which an observer compares two visual stimuli presented at different points...     

Effects on pupil size of manual and verbal indicators of cognitive task fulfillment

A total of20 Ss attempted to generate images to concrete and abstract stimulus words while pupillary activity was continuously photographed. One group (N =5) was required to press a key when an image occurred, a second to describe the image, and a third to press a key as well as describe the image. No overt indicator was required of a fourth group. Results showed that greater dilation occurred during the imagery task than during a control period only in those conditions in which an overt response indicated task fulfillment. Consistent with earlier findings significantly greater dilation occurred to abstract than concrete stimulus words in the key press condition.     

The Influences of Performance Cues and Observational Focus on Performance Rating Accuracy1

The present study examined the effects of observational focus and performance cues on rating accuracy. It was hypothesized that these two factors would affect ratings independently: a) subjects given a good performance cue would rate the target more positively than subjects given a poor performance cue and, b) subjects using an event focus would rate the target person more accurately than subjects using a person focus. One hundred twenty undergraduates viewed the same videotape and subsequently stated which of a set of 48 behaviors were exhibited by the target person. The results supported the hypothesized performance cue effect. Observational focus did not have the hypothesized main effect on rating accuracy but was involved in a four-way interaction. The interaction indicated that, as the focus of the subject's attention broadened to the entire event, the errors associated with the performance cue effect were lessened. The subjects using an event focus were likely to generate ratings characterized by a positivity bias, whereas those using a person focus were more likely to generate ratings biased by performance cues.     

Substantive theorizing

This paper outlines, for purposes of discussion and debate, an ecologically oriented approach to theory and research in psychology and related social sciences. This approach, labeled "substantive theorizing", is intended as a constructive response to recent critiqies of the logical positivism paradigm. Substantive theorizing is presented as the intersection of a series of choices by researchers, including decisions to focus on limited but socially important domains; to use multiple methods; to develop intimate familiarity with chosen domains; and to examine processes in their natural social and temporal contexts. The approach emphasizes the process, rather than the product, of conceptual framing and development. Among the projected benefits of substantive theorizing are development of new concepts and procedures, blurring of disciplinary boundaries, greater understanding of socially important domains, and increased utility of research for policy and practice. Projected costs include long-term research commitments and lack of support from academic departments and research funding agencies.     

Overshadowing and blocking of the orientation-contingent color aftereffect: Evidence for a conditioning mechanism

Orientation-contingent color aftereffects have been interpreted by nonassociative mechanisms (adaptation of neural units that are both color and orientation specific) and by associative mechanisms (conditioning resulting from the pairing of pattern and hue). To evaluate associative accounts, contingent aftereffects were induced by exposing subjects to compound chromatic grid patterns consisting of two component gratings: one was horizontal or vertical, and the other a left- or right-learning diagonal. The ability of a component grating to elicit a color aftereffect depended on the relative salience and the aftereffect training history of the grating components. That is, orientation-contingent color aftereffects, like other conditional responses, display overshadowing and blocking. The results suggest that conditioning contributes to these aftereffects.     

Apparent impropriety and procedural fairness judgments

Variation in decision making and allocation procedures has been shown to affect judgments of the fairness of the procedure and its outcome, but such effects have always been studied in the context of properly enacted procedures. It was hypothesized that the appearance of impropriety in the enctment of a fair procedure would increase the extent to which the procedure is judged in terms of its outcome. One hundred twenty undergraduate males and females were placed in the role of either defendant or observer with respect to an adversary procedure trial. Appearance of impropriety was manipulated during the trial by either including or not including evidence of a friendly personal relationship between the judge and the plaintiff's lawyer. The defendant was said to have either won or lost the case. A significant impropriety × outcome interaction on ratings of procedural fairness, unqualified by higher order effect, supported the hypothesis: a favorable outcome increased and an unfavorable outcome decreased the fairness of the procedure more when the impropriety was present. Discussion focuses on the implications of these findings for future investigation and theory on procedural justice and for practical issues.     

Testing a self-determination theory process model for promoting glycemic control through diabetes self-management.

A longitudinal study tested the self-determination theory (SDT) process model of health behavior change for glycemic control within a randomized trial of patient activation versus passive education. Glycosylated hemoglobin for patients with Type 2 diabetes (n=159) was assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Autonomous motivation and perceived competence were assessed at baseline and 6 months, and the autonomy supportiveness of clinical practitioners was assessed at 3 months. Perceptions of autonomy and competence were promoted by perceived autonomy support, and changes in perceptions of autonomy and competence, in turn, predicted change in glycemic control. Self-management behaviors mediated the relation between change in perceived competence and change in glycemic control. The self-determination process model fit the data well.