Book reviews

Commons, M. L., Herrnstein, R. J. and Rachlin, H. (Eds.). Quantitative analyses of behaviour: Matching and maximising accounts. Quantitative analyses of behuviour series, Volume 2. Cambridge, Mass.: Ballinger. 1982. Pp. 616. ISBN 0-88410-739-6

Alkon, D. L. and Farley, J. (1984). Primary neural substrates of learning and behavioural change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 385. ISBN 0-521-25472-8. £35.00.

Satinoff, E. and Teitelbaum, P. (Eds.) (1983). Handbook of behavioral neurobiology, volume 6: Motivation. New York: Plenum Press. Pp. 592. ISBN 0-306-41068-0.     

Exploration of Prelicensed Counselors’ Experiences Prioritizing Information for Clinical Supervision

This qualitative study explored prelicensed counselors’ experiences prioritizing information for clinical supervision. Through phenomenological interviews, 7 counselors seeking licensure discussed how they self‐report salient information to their supervisors. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, the authors identified 3 themes: (a) learned to maximize supervision based on structure of supervision, (b) influences on decision to present, and (c) rationale for presenting client case. Implications for counselors and supervisors are discussed.     

Women’s Understanding and Attitudes towards Down Syndrome and Other Genetic Conditions in the Context of Prenatal Screening

In order to explore the impact of potential new technologies in the area of prenatal screening, we conducted a baseline study using qualitative interviews to explore women’s attitudes and knowledge regarding current and future prenatal screening technology and methods. Three cohorts were interviewed, including healthy women without children, healthy women with healthy children, and healthy women with children who have de novo genetic disorders. This study aimed to assess the baseline understanding and attitudes of women in Western Australia. Women from each cohort demonstrated adequate knowledge of the differences between screening and diagnostic tests, but were mostly unaware of the conditions for which screening is currently available except Down syndrome. Women who had children with de novo genetic conditions were generally aware of more genetic conditions than women with or without healthy children. Most women recognised the genetic basis for the conditions mentioned. Two thirds of women understood that Down syndrome is a chromosomal condition; just one third recognised that the phenotype is variable. Most women expressed a positive attitude towards Down syndrome. Social acceptance of children with Down syndrome was commonly mentioned as a concern. While the majority of women with children supported screening for Down syndrome, they emphasised that it must be an autonomous choice. General knowledge of genetic conditions illustrated that women are exposed to diverse conditions from lived experience as well as the media.     

Comparison of Telephone and Televideo Modes for Delivery of Genetic Counseling: a Randomized Trial

Telephone and televideo have yielded equivalent patient satisfaction and psychosocial outcomes when compared to in-person genetic counseling, yet little is known about how they compare to one another. In this randomized controlled trial, veterans received genetic counseling via telephone or traveled to a clinic to participate via encrypted televideo. Knowledge and visit satisfaction were assessed 2 weeks later. Travel time, mileage, and out-of-pocket costs were calculated for videoconferencing. Qualitative interviews were conducted with patients and counselors to assess acceptability. Of the 20 male patients randomized to telephone, 90% received counseling and provided outcomes; of the 18 randomized to televideo, 67% received counseling and 50% provided outcomes. Telephone patients answered a mean of 4.4 of eight questions correctly at baseline and 4.7 at follow-up; televideo means were 5.6 and 6.5, respectively. Satisfaction was 25.2 out of 30 for telephone and 26.9 for televideo. Televideo patients incurred a median of 2.8 h of travel time, 40 roundtrip miles, and $67.29 in costs. Patients and counselors found both modes acceptable for providing education and answering questions. Although patients liked the flexibility of telephone, counselors felt patients missed more appointments and were distracted when using telephone. A noted advantage of videoconferencing was reading body language. Further evaluation of alternative delivery modes is needed.     

Interpersonal analysis of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism

This article examines the validity of grandiose and vulnerable subtypes of narcissistic character styles through an analysis of personality disorder criteria, interpersonal problems, and adult attachment styles in a nonclinical population. The grandiose personalities in this sample were rated high in the dramatic traits associated with narcissistic, antisocial, and histrionic personality disorders based on a diagnostic interview, and they reported domineering and vindictive interpersonal problems. However, despite the observation of narcissistic personality pathology, they denied interpersonal distress related to their interpersonal problems and the majority reported adult attachment styles reflective of positive self-representations (Secure, Dismissive). Vulnerable narcissistic individuals were represented by high ratings on avoidant personality disorder based on a diagnostic interview. They reported high interpersonal distress and greater domineering, vindictive, cold, and socially avoidant interpersonal problems. The majority reported adult attachment styles reflective of negative self-representations (Fearful, Preoccupied). The validity of grandiose and vulnerable narcissism based upon the results of this study was discussed in terms of clinical theory and with reference to the implications of two subtypes of narcissism for diagnosis and treatment.     

Scrub jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) remember the relative time of caching as well as the location and content of their caches

Two experiments examined whether food-storing scrub jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) could remember when they cached particular food items as well as what they cached and where. In Experiment 1, scrub jays cached and recovered perishable "wax worms" (wax moth larvae) and nonperishable peanuts in 2 visuospatially distinct and trial-unique trays. The birds searched preferentially for fresh wax worms if they had cached them 4 hr earlier but rapidly learned to search for peanuts and avoid decayed wax worms that had been cached 124 hr previously. This pattern also was observed when the food items were removed before recovery on test trials. These results were replicated in Experiment 2 using a procedure in which both types of food were cached in different sides of the same caching tray: On the basis of a single, trial-unique experience, scrub jays could remember the relative time of caching as well as what type of food was cached in each cache site.     

The poggendorff illusion with subjective contours

Gregory (1972) has claimed that the Poggendorff misalignment effect occurs when the collinear obliques are separated by subjective rather than real contours. He used two figures to demonstrate this variant of the illusion. Two experiments to test the claim are reported. The first showed that apparent misalignment in one of the two original figures is no greater than that with two obliques alone (the oblique line effect), but misalignment in the other is greater than with two oblique lines and than with a control without subjective contours. The second experiment showed that apparent misalignment in the second figure was less than in two control figures without subjective contours. Since this reduced effect was probably due to the nature of the intersection between the oblique and a semi-circular element, the role of subjective contours remains unsettled.     

Setting events controlling social verbal exchanges between students with developmental delays

The peer social verbal exchanges (social conversational units) between four developmentally delayed students were studied as a function of setting events. A single conversational unit consisted of a verbal exchange in which each individual functioned as both speaker and listener. Each unit included a three term verbal contingency. Data were collected by trained observers viewing videotapes of 20-minute sessions in which running times were burned onto the videotape. Frequencies of social conversational units were measured under two conditions. Comparisons were made between sessions in which the teacher responded only when spoken to and sessions in which the teacher was absent using a combined reversal and multiple schedule design. Results showed that peer conversational units emerged at high rates when the teacher was absent and at low or nonexistent rates when the teacher responded only when spoken to in the living room setting. The setting and audience control for peer verbal exchanges were discussed as functions possibly of either a punishing audience, establishing operations, or response deprivation.