Effects of acute restraint stress on set-shifting and reversal learning in male rats

Exposure to acute stress alters cognition; however, few studies have examined the effects of acute stress on executive functions such as behavioral flexibility. The goal of the present experiments was to determine the effects of acute periods of stress on two distinct forms of behavioral flexibility: set-shifting and reversal learning. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained and tested in an operant-chamber-based task. Some of the rats were exposed to acute restraint stress (30 min) immediately before either the set-shifting test day or the reversal learning test day. Acute stress had no effect on set-shifting, but it significantly facilitated reversal learning, as assessed by both trials to criterion and total errors. In a second experiment, the roles of glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in the acute-stress-induced facilitation of reversal learning were examined. Systemic administration of the GR-selective antagonist RU38486 (10 mg/kg) or the MR-selective antagonist spironolactone (50 mg/kg) 30 min prior to acute stress failed to block the facilitation on reversal learning. The present results demonstrate a dissociable effect of acute stress on set-shifting and reversal learning and suggest that the facilitation of reversal learning by acute stress may be mediated by factors other than corticosterone.     

The Impact of CACREP Accreditation: A Multiway Frequency Analysis of Ethics Violations and Sanctions

The impact of CACREP accreditation on counselor competency has received little empirical investigation. Differences in the frequency and type of ethical misconduct between graduates of CACREP‐accredited and non‐CACREP‐accredited counselor education programs were investigated. Results of a multiway frequency analysis indicated that fully licensed graduates of CACREP‐accredited programs were sanctioned for ethical misconduct significantly less frequently than were graduates of non‐CACREP‐accredited programs. Additionally, the accreditation factor was among the highest‐ranking parameter estimates of expected cell frequencies.     

Determining Activity of the Autonomic Nervous System from Measurements of Autonomic Change

Three hundred and fifty female high school students observed an outcome of a hypothetical interpersonal dyadic interaction. The outcome was either a suicide (serious outcome) or a half-hearted suicide attempt (less serious outcome). In one condition, one of the actors was presented as intentionally performing certain actions which he or she knew could cause the other actor to attempt or actually commit suicide. In the other condition, the perpetrator acted in an unintentional manner. Ss' identifications with either the victim or the perpetrator were also manipulated. Furthermore, Ss were independently classified as to whether they considered circumstances (C) or intentionality (I) as the important factor in attributing responsibility. C-attributers identifying with the victim assigned more responsibility to the perpetrator for the serious outcome. C-attributers identifying with the perpetrator assigned more responsibility to that perpetrator in the less serious condition. Predictions for I-attributers were also confirmed.     

Probing item social desirability by correlating personality items with Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR): A validity examination

Researchers often include a social desirability measure in personality measures, commonly the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR), and correlate it with personality items to probe for social desirability of the items. A strong correlation between BIDR scores and a personality item would indicate high item social desirability. The current research assesses the validity of this practice. Results showed that these correlations have high validity only when BIDR scores are calculated as a continuous variable rather than as dichotomized item scores. In addition, self-deception scores have higher validity for detecting item social desirability than do impression management scores. The current research supported the use of the self-deception scores, in particular, to detect highly desirable or undesirable items.     

Is Scripture the Origin of Halakhah? – Jacob Neusner The Talmud: Law,Theology, Narrative: A Sourcebook – Jacob Neusner Theology of Normative Judaism: A Source Book – Jacob Neusner The Vitality of Rabbinic Imagination: The Mishnah against the Bible and Qumran – Jacob Neusner

Book reviewed: Is Scripture the Origin of Halakhah? , Jacob Neusner, University Press of America 2005 (0‐7618‐3117‐7), xiv + 217 pp., pb $34.00 The Talmud: Law, Theology, Narrative: A Sourcebook , Jacob Neusner, University Press of America 2005 (0‐7618‐3115‐0), xxxiv + 251 pp., pb $39.00 Theology of Normative Judaism: A Source Book , Jacob Neusner, University Press of America 2005 (0‐7618‐3116‐9), vi + 156 pp., pb $26.00 The Vitality of Rabbinic Imagination: The Mishnah against the Bible and Qumran , Jacob Neusner, University Press of America 2005 (0‐7618‐3118‐5), xxxiv + 226 pp., pb $35.00     

Analytic flexibility in laboratory aggression paradigms: Relations with personality traits vary (slightly) by operationalization of aggression

Competitive reaction time tasks (CRTTs) have been used widely in social science research, but recent criticism has been directed at the flexible quantification strategies used with this methodology. A recent review suggests that over 150 different quantification strategies have been used in this literature, and there is evidence to suggest that different operationalizations can affect the results and interpretations of experiments using CRTTs. In the current investigation, we reanalyze data from four existing samples from two different sites (total N = 600) to examine how the relations between a range of personality traits and aggression vary based on how aggression is operationalized. Our results suggest that there is a modest degree of heterogeneity in effect size and direction for these relations, and that effect size and direction were most consistent for traits more generally related to lab aggression (e.g., psychopathy, low Five-Factor Model agreeableness). In addition, profile matching analyses suggest that different operationalizations yield empirical correlates that are quite similar to one another, even when quantifying absolute rather than relative similarity. These results were consistent across site, methodology, and type of sample, suggesting that these issues are likely generalizable across most labs using CRTTs. We conclude with suggestions for future directions, particularly emphasizing the need for adequately-powered samples, and for researchers to preregister a plan for how CRTT data will be analyzed.