TEACHING COIN EQUIVALENCE TO THE MENTALLY RETARDED1

A program was designed to teach coin equivalence to mentally retarded adolescents. Coin equivalence was defined as choosing several different combinations of coins to equal specified target values. A pretest-posttest matched-groups design was employed with an experimental group receiving the monetary training, and a no-training control group. A multiple baseline across coin-counting responses was also incorporated in the experimental group. Training was divided into six stages, each teaching one specific method of combining coins to equal 10 target values from 5¢ through 50¢. A three-component response chain was used, requiring (a) naming, (b) selecting and counting, and (c) depositing target monetary values into a coin machine. Experimental subjects improved significantly in coin equivalence performance and maintained their skill on follow up tests; control subjects did not.     

Third party instigation of aggression as a function of noncooperation and veto power

The purpose of the present study was to test the validity of three hypotheses previously offered to explain the attenuating effects of pacifistic noncooperation on instigative aggression. During part one of the experiment all subjects served as instigators; in the second part they actually set shocks for the target. Subjects instigated either a cooperative or noncooperative confederate, and either did or did not have veto power over the confederate's shock selections. Results of the study indicated that all hypotheses, norm-conformity, compliance, and maintenance of power, were viable for subgroups of subjects. Results were discussed in terms of individual differences and the temporarily inhibiting effects of passive resistance.     

Conflict play and its modification in the course of treating children

The authors report their experience with a special form of psychodrama for the treatment in small groups of neurotic children aged five to fifteen. The acting out of ambivalent, partly unconscious and restrained tendencies and inclinations by playing, i.e., by taking roles in spontaneous performances, is followed by alternation of identification in the group and, possibly, careful indirect verbalization by the therapeutist and/or group, of which the purpose is to arrive at a reorientation of the attitudes of patients and a consolidation of the newly won attitude.     

The effect of aversive consequences upon persistent behavior

It was hypothesized that if a behavior is freely engaged in with the expectancy that an aversive consequence will follow, the intrinsic motivation to perform that behavior will increase when the aversive consequence is no longer present. Subjects either worked on a list of anagrams while receiving electric shock on a VR schedule, while being threatened by electric shock, or in the absence of shock. The experimenter then left the subject alone for 10 minutes with a new list of anagrams. Subjects in the shock condition solved more anagrams on the posttest than subjects in the threat-of-shock and noshock conditions. Subjects in both the shock condition and the threat-of-shock condition reported that they spent more of their free time on the anagrams than subjects in the no-shock condition.     

The acquisition of conditioned emotional response as a function of intertrial interval

The effects of intertrial interval (ITI) and foreperiod duration on the acquisition of a conditioned emotional response were investigated using a four-trial conditioning procedure. The optimum ITI was found to be 60 s with a bidirectional gradient for conditioned suppression above and below 60 s. Conditioned supression was found to be directly related to foreperiod duration.     

Alcohol-induced changes in contrast sensitivity following high-intensity light exposure

Relatively low doses of alcohol produced large, significant, dose-related increases in the time required to recover foveal contrast sensitivity following bright light exposure. Nine subjects participated in a double-blind experiment involving three dose levels of alcohol (including placebo). The luminance parameters of the test were comparable to those encountered in practical situations such as driving. The alcohol-induced delay in glare recovery is probably retinal and lasts for several hours after drinking.     

Electromagnetic articulography: use of alternating magnetic fields for tracking movements of multiple points inside and outside the vocal tract

The purpose of this paper is to present a new electromagnetic device which uses alternating magnetic fields for tracking movements of multiple points inside and outside the vocal tract. It is biologically safe, noninvasive, it does not interfere with speech movements, allows for multiple recording in the same subject, and for easy collection of large amounts of data. It is especially suitable for evaluation of patients with speech motor impairments.     

Sleep in the dove Zenaida asiatica

Electrographic and behavioral observations were made in five adult birds of the genus Zenaida asiatica. Five different vigilance states were quantitated: (1) Active waking (Aw) was characterized by constant behavioral activity; the nuchal electromyogram was tonically active with bursts associated to movements. The electroencephalographic pattern was low voltage and high frequency. (2) Quiet waking (Qw) was characterized by diminished behavioral activity and the EEG pattern was similar to that of Aw. (3) Drowsiness (D) was characterized by behavioral calm. Frequency of cerebral activity diminished progressively, but there were short periods of desynchronization corresponding to brief awakenings. (4) Slow wave sleep (SWS); during this period there was behavioral rest and EEG pattern of continuous slow waves and the nuchal EMG was tonically reduced. Spindles of sleep were not observed. (5) Paradoxical sleep (SP), behaviorally characterized by phasic manifestations consisting of noddings originated by rapid falling down of head and bursts of rapid eye movements. EEG activity was like that of waking state. EMG activity was maintained at the same level as during SWS but sometimes it decreased lightly. Total atonie was not observed. Sleep percentages were higher when recordings were done during the nocturnal period.     

Relational frame theory,acceptance and commitment therapy,and a functional analytic definition of mindfulness

The present article interprets mindfulness from the point of view of the effects of language and cognition on human action. Relational Frame Theory is described to show how human suffering is created by entanglement with the cognitive networks made possible by language. Mindfulness can be understood as a collection of related processes that function to undermine the dominance of verbal networks, especially involving temporal and evaluative relations. These processes include acceptance, defusion, contact with the present moment, and the transcendent sense of self. Each of these components of mindfulness are targeted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and there is some evidence that they underlie the therapeutic changes induced by this approach. The relation between the present approach to mindfulness and other approaches is discussed.