Standardization/innovation trade-offs in computing: Implications for high-tech antitrust regulation

Much of the history of computing can be seen as an ever-changing balance between standardization and innovation. Fortunately, sophisticated social processes exist that help consumers make informed choices between the two. A better understanding of these processes is essential for an informed understanding of current attempts to regulate the computing industry. His interests include computing and public policy, computer architecture, and computer science education. He is the co-founder of Families Against Internet Censorship and is a recipient of the National Civil Liberties Award from the ACLU. He has appeared on "ABC News," "Good Morning America," and "MS/NBC." Dr. Fagin is a Senior Fellow in Technology Policy at the Independence Institute in Golden, Colorado and an Adjunct Scholar at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.     

Family-Based Intervention with High-Risk Infants and Their Families

A model of family-based intervention for high-risk infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit and their families is presented. The theoretical underpinnings, principles, and nature of the intervention are described. The adaptation of the model from a clinical–research demonstration project to a clinical consultation service is highlighted, with particular emphasis on the practical application of the model. Domains of the intervention include infant behavior, family organization and functioning, caregiving environment, and home discharge/community resources. Three case illustrations are provided to demonstrate the breadth of the intervention and how it can be individualized based upon the presentation of the infant and family.     

Electrodermal activity and extraversion: Caffeine,preparatory signal and stimulus intensity effects

The Eysenck hypothesis that introverts are more and extraverts less cortically aroused has been supported by the results of most electrodermal studies, though there is some inconsistency in the literature. Further tests of the hypothesis can be carried out using arousal-manipulation paradigms. Some studies have used caffeine or stimulus intensity to increase arousal, as was also the case in the present study. The latter, however, also introduced a preparatory signal, which may be expected under certain conditions, to reduce responses to the stimulus which follows it. Extraverts and introverts were randomly assigned to receive low, medium or high doses of caffeine or a placebo. Each S then heard two sets of tones with the tones in one set preceded by a preparatory signal. Results showed that the preparatory signal reduced phasic amplitudes only at the highest levels of stimulus intensity. Introverts had higher overall SCLs and response magnitudes. In addition, the preparatory signal had little effect on extraverts, but reversed dosage-related response patterns in introverts. Results were supportive of the basic Eysenck arousal hypothesis and also showed that the arousal difference leads to attentional variability between the two groups.