Brief report: An extension of the sequential alternating treatment design using reversals with subjects not available concurrently

This brief report proposes an extension of the traditional Alternating Treatments Design that would be acceptable to use in hospital and residential settings where subjects are often not concurrently available. Concerns about the inability of traditional designs to work in these special situations and the emergence of a “scientist–practitioner split” are discussed. An example of how the Extended Alternating Treatments Design might be used is provided.     

Influence of Family Support on Men in a Minimum Security Detention Center

The authors explored the relationship between family support and adjustment for adult men in a detention center, as measured by a staff rating scale completed by the appropriate counselor.     

Myth Information and Bizarre Beliefs of Male Juvenile Sex Offenders

The author describes mythical beliefs, thinking errors, and faulty attitudes collected from a group of male juvenile sex offenders. Therapists need this information to develop effective treatment strategies for replacing distortions and misperceptions with correct and moral information as a foundation for change.     

Family interaction and child psychopathology: A comparison of two observation strategies

We examined two systems of assessing family interactions that are in common usage: a home based observation of free parent-child interaction and a clinic based observation of a structured mother-child problem solving discussion. Participants were 18 depressed, 27 conduct disordered and 16 comparison children and their mothers. Results indicated that: 1) these observations may yield very different data about child, and to a lesser extent, parent behavior, 2) parental affect in the clinic was related to their level of aversive behaviour in the home, 3) levels of both aversive and positive behavior for children and their mothers were correlated within each setting, 4) accuracy of diagnostic classifications made on the basis of the observational data were highest for comparison and conduct disordered children, but lowest for depressed children observed in the clinic, and 5) the inclusion of data on mothers' behavior increased classification accuracy for conduct disordered children only.     

A tether system for cardiovascular studies with the behaving micropig

A tether system has been developed for continuous monitoring of blood pressure in the micropig. The micropig is a suitable model for blood-pressure research because of the similarity of its cardiovascular system to that of humans and because of its sensitivity to high sodium intake. The system consists of a metal boom, attached via a universal joint to a wall 6 ft above floor level, that extends horizontally to the center of the enclosure. A fluid and electronic swivel affixed to the boom is connected to a flexible, hollow, metal tether that descends to a vest worn by the micropig. The vest contains a pressure transducer to which an indwelling arterial catheter is connected via a stopcock. The transducer cable and an infusion line ascend through the interior of the tether to the swivel. The system remains in equilibrium through a system of pulleys and counterweights. Continuous, 24-h recording shows a diurnal variation characterized by higher heart rate but lower blood pressure during the day than at night. The system has been found to be effective for continuous studies over intervals of a month or more.     

Convergent methods in psychomusical research based on integrated,interactive computer control

Much of what we learn from an experiment depends on what we ask of the subjects and how we ask it. Most music perception and cognition research is implemented using a single methodology. Recently, questions have been raised about the validity and generalizability of such a limited approach, particularly regarding such complicated theoretical constructs as musical tonality. We propose that a useful technique is to converge on the answer to experimental questions by applying multiple methods, in essence, simultaneously investigating the central research question as well as ancillary questions of method. Such an approach is facilitated by a computer hardware and software system that integrates experimental design, data collection, data analysis, and data dissemination, linking off-the-shelf components through standard file formats and data-exchange protocols. The list-based system, using an IBM-type PC running Windows 3.0, handles real-time natural sound sampling and playback, signal synthesis and analysis, MIDI input and output, digitized picture display, and various subject-response mechanisms. On the basis of graphical icons, the integrated system can be used to build custom experimental designs. Examples of convergent psychomusical experiments that were designed, implemented, and analyzed using the system are discussed.     

Technologies to reliably transduce the topographical details of pigeons’ pecks

Pigeons’ pecking has long been a subject of interest in behavioral research, with the response typically being viewed as unitary. Recent experiments done with computer-controlled devices have revealed that this response is at least bipartite in character, with beak opening and response location (head transport) as its components. In addition, experimental work has demonstrated that these response components may be separately influenced and controlled by respondent and operant conditioning procedures. The detailed topographic analysis and technology that have emerged may provide a background for similar work with other behavioral systems.     

Data generation and analysis using spreadsheets

Modern spreadsheets are powerful and useful tools that can often replace special-purpose programs for generating data and for student analysis of simple statistical problems. The inherent flexibility of spreadsheets makes them especially convenient and extensible. Several templates for generating and analyzing data fort tests and analysis of variance are discussed. Users can specify then, \(\bar X\) , andSD of two or more groups and then execute macros that generate appropriate data. Overwriting the generated data with “real” values turns the spreadsheet into a data analysis program. Spreadsheets hold promise as valuable instructional supplements for simple designs, but they are less suitable for more complex designs, where special-purpose programs may be more appropriate.     

Using tutoring systems to study learning: An application of HyperCard

HyperCard was used to develop a simplified tutoring system whose principles were based on a learning theory, and a genetics tutoring system was evaluated experimentally. Learning was studied by examining immediate versus delayed feedback after an error was made. Such tutoring systems aid in psychological studies of learning, because experimental variables can be easily manipulated. HyperCard provides a good vehicle for tutoring system development, since it requires no extensive programming skills.