Complex learning and information processing by pigeons: a critical analysis

Three models of conditional discrimination learning by pigeons are described: stimulus configuration learning, the multiple-rule model, and concept learning. A review of the literature reveals that true concept learning is not characteristic of the behavior of pigeons in matching-to-sample, oddity-from-sample, or symbolic matching studies. Instead, pigeons learn a set of sample-specific S^D rules. Transfer of the discrimination to novel stimuli, at least along the hue dimension, is predicted by a “coding hypothesis”, which holds that pigeons make a unique, but usually unobserved response, R₁, to each sample, and that the comparison stimulus chosen depends on which R₁ was emitted in the presence of the sample. Convincing evidence is found that pigeons do code sample hues, but there is little evidence that allows one to infer that the “coding event” must have behavioral properties. Parameters of the conditional discrimination paradigm are identified, and it is shown that by appropriate parametric manipulation, a variety of analogous tasks may be generated for both human and animal subjects. The tasks make possible the comparative study of complex learning, attention, memory, and information processing, with the added advantage that behavior processes may be compared systematically across tasks.     

Field independence and performance on ball-handling tasks

Subjects were administered the Children's Embedded Figures Test and four ball-handling tests. Pearson product-moment correlations were low between the measures. Girls scored significantly higher than boys on the embedded figures test while boys scored significantly higher than girls on the striking and throwing tests.     

Positive and negative affect in parenting disabled children

Research on parents' positive and negative affect may clarify critical aspects in the emotional impact of raising a child with disabilities, as related to stress-resistance factors such as personal coping and family climate. Parental affect (positive and negative), coping strategies (active and avoidant), and family climate (relationships, personal growth, and system maintenance) among 71 families with disabled children were compared (using MANCOVA) to parental measures of 77 families with nondisabled children, revealing significant differences. Parents of disabled children reported higher levels of negative (distressed) affect, adopted more avoidant coping strategies, and differed in their familial interrelations and the opportunities for personal growth available to them in their families. The discrepancies between the fathers' and mothers' scores in avoidant coping and in the family climate areas of personal growth and system maintenance were greater among the parents of disabled children than among the control parents. Positive and negative affect were differently predicted in the two groups of parents, highlighting the different role of coping resources and family resources in mediating stress. Implications were drawn for intervention planning and family empowerment.     

Nonlinearity of healing: Healing narratives of Filipino therapists-in-training who self-identify as wounded healers

Due to the stigma therapists-in-training face within the field owing to their woundedness, and the dearth of psychological literature on the healing of wounded healers (WHs), this study examined the healing journeys of nine Filipino therapists-in-training who self-identify as WHs. Narrative Identity framework was utilized to analyse the healing narratives gathered from nine semi-structured interviews with therapists-in-training. Results focussed on the healing narratives and how these shaped the identity and development of these future practitioners. The healing narratives of therapists-in-training were generally composed of four chapters: (a) identifying the wounded-client identity and its wounds, (b) entering the counselling field brings the emergence of the healer-therapist identity, (c) nonlinearity of healing transforms into a fluid WH, and (d) continuing the healing journey. These never-ending and nonlinear journeys shaped how therapists-in-training perceived and constructed or deconstructed their identification, with their dual identities influencing their practice. Additionally, their healing journeys contributed to their development as therapists who continue to heal from their woundedness. This study contributes to the literature regarding therapists-in-training who self-identify as WHs through the emphasised healing process. Moreover, this study may both lessen the stigma surrounding therapists-in-training's woundedness and help colleagues, educators, mentors and supervisors within the counselling field to better help trainees through the creation of open spaces, classes and training programmes that may help in enhancing their well-being and utilising their woundedness to increase, rather than impair, their therapeutic ability.     

Anxiety sensitivity and auditory perception of heartbeat

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is the fear of sensations associated with autonomic arousal. AS has been associated with the development and maintenance of panic disorder. Given that panic patients often rate cardiac symptoms as the most fear-provoking feature of a panic attack, AS individuals may be especially responsive to cardiac stimuli. Consequently, we developed a signal-in-white-noise detection paradigm to examine the strategies that high and low AS individuals use to detect and discriminate normal and abnormal heartbeat sounds. Compared to low AS individuals, high AS individuals demonstrated a greater propensity to report the presence of normal, but not abnormal, heartbeat sounds. High and low AS individuals did not differ in their ability to perceive normal heartbeat sounds against a background of white noise; however, high AS individuals consistently demonstrated lower ability to discriminate abnormal heartbeats from background noise and between abnormal and normal heartbeats. AS was characterized by an elevated false alarm rate across all tasks. These results suggest that heartbeat sounds may be fear-relevant cues for AS individuals, and may affect their attention and perception in tasks involving threat signals.     

Lehrer's fourth condition for knowing

Philosophical Studies -     

Can the Edinburgh Risk of Repetition Scale Predict Repetition of Deliberate Self‐poisoning in an Australian Clinical Setting?

This study tested the ability of the Edinburgh Risk of Repetition Scale (ERRS) to identify patients at high risk for repeat deliberate self-poisoning (DSP). Consecutive DSP patients (N= 1,317) over a 3-year period were followed-up for 12 months. A statistically significant relationship between ERRS scores and repetition was observed; however, sensitivity and specificity were low. Logistic regression analysis revealed only "previous parasuicide" contributed significantly to repetition. The ERRS had limited value in identifying patients at high risk of repeat DSP in this clinical population.