Melioration, matching, and maximization

Pigeons were studied in an experiment involving two concurrently available response keys. Conditions were such that in the first condition the predictions of melioration (Herrnstein & Vaughan, 1980), minimization of deviation from matching, and maximization were identical: relative time on the right key should have fallen between .125 and .25, which in fact occurred. In the second condition, melioration predicted a shift in relative time on the right to between .75 and .875, which would involve a transient deviation from matching as well as a substantial drop in rate of reinforcement. All three birds eventually shifted their distribution of behavior to within the range predicted by melioration.     

Child victims: Searching for opportunities to break the cycle of violence

In 1986 I began research to address the relationship between early child abuse and neglect and later deliquent and violent criminal behavior using a prospective cohort design. The relationship is not inevitable, suggesting an opportunity for long-range violence prevention through appropriate early intervention. Here, I briefly describe how childhood victimization and violent criminal behavior are related and illustrate a number of promising strategies and opportunities to intervene. Finally, I offer five principles to guide interventions: (1) the earlier the intervention, the better; (2) don't neglect neglected children; (3) one size does not fit all; (4) surveillance—a double-edged sword; and (5) accessibility to resources. Rather than focusing on responses to child abuse or neglect in court proceedings that “treat” offenders, primary prevention efforts should target childhood victims to reduce their risk of becoming offenders in the future.     

Assessment of sexually abused children with anatomically detailed dolls: A critical review

The use of anatomically detailed (AD) dolls is widespread, especially with young children who have been, or may have been, sexually abused. A number of empirical studies have compared the responses of sexually abused and non-abused children to AD dolls. Additional research has assessed AD doll play among non-abused children only. Methodological limitations notwithstanding, virtually all empirical data support the use of AD dolls for data gathering in cases of sexual abuse.     

On-line,real-time recording of eye orientation using the corneal reflection method

The orientation of a subject’s eyes can be automatically sampled in real time at 60 Hz using Mackworth’s corneal reflection method, a closed circuit TV system with a brightness-amplitude trigger, and a minicomputer. The organization of the electronic interface and software (for recording and behavioral control) is described, along with the characteristics of the recording system and potential sources of artifact. Sample calibration and experimental data are presented.     

Assessing support networks: Stability and evidence for convergent and divergent validity

Data on important methodological problems in assessing support networks is presented. Stability (over 1 year) and construct validity were examined in two groups of mothers of preschool children. One group of mothers had children with a physical handicap (n = 25); the other group had normally developing children (n = 44). When their children were 4 years of age and again at 5 years of age, mothers' support networks were assessed with the Pattison Psychosocial Kinship Inventory (a semistructured interview) and a log diary. Results indicated considerable stability in mothers' support networks over the 1-year period. In addition, agreement across methods was fairly high despite marked differences in format, providing evidence for the construct of support networks. Further evidence for construct validity was provided by generally low correlations between support network variables and other measures of social ecology. Findings were roughly similar for both groups of mothers indicating general replicability of findings.     

Sex differences in comments made during conflict within close heterosexual pairs

Questionnaires were used to investigate (1) stereotypes about what young couples do and say during their conflicts and (2) reports (by actual young couples) of what each one is likely to do or say. The two sets of data yielded much the same pattern of results. The female is expected and reported to cry and sulk and to criticize the male for lack of consideration of her feelings and for insensitivity to his effect on her. The male is expected and reported to show anger, to reject the female's tears, to call for a logical and less emotional approach to the problem, and to give reasons for delaying the discussion. The Study I expectations for sex differences during conflict are held to about the same degree by the female and male respondents. In both studies, the differences were found to depend primarily on sex of the person and not on the particular problem involved in the conflict. The results are interpreted in terms of the interaction between a conflict-avoidant person (the male) and his partner (the female), who is frustrated by the avoidance and asks that the problem and the feelings associated with it be confronted.     

Real-world schemata and scene recognition in adults and children

Recognition memory for previously seen multiobject scenes was examined for different types of contextual arrangements between objects in the scenes. It was found that organized scenes with novel but possible interobject relations were recognized more accurately than either organized scenes with familiar interobject relations or unorganized scenes with impossible interobject relations. This finding was obtained for adults, 8- to 10-year-old children, and 5- to 8-year-old children who indicated concrete-operational ability in Piaget’s conservation-of-liquid quantity task. The results were interpreted in conjunction with a two-stage model of scene processing involving the formation of a schema to represent a scene (Stage 1), and the operation of the schema in governing the further processing of detailed information in the scene (Stage 2). It was concluded that preoperational children can form schemata to represent organized scenes (Stage 1), but it is not until the emergence of concrete operations that these schemata become operational with respect to guiding the further processing of information in the scene (Stage 2).     

Explaining delusions: a cognitive perspective

There is now considerable evidence for reasoning, attention, metacognition and attribution biases in delusional patients. Recently, these findings have been incorporated into a number of cognitive models that aim to explain delusion formation, maintenance and content. Although delusions are commonly conceptualized as beliefs, not all models make reference to models of normal belief formation. This review considers those models that explain delusions as a breakdown of normal belief formation (belief-positive models), approaches that explain the pathology only (belief-negative models) and approaches that view delusions as one end of a distribution of anomalous mental phenomena (the continuum view). A cognitive theory that includes the 'pragmatic pathology' of delusions will be able to address both the phenomenology and the treatment of delusion-related distress.