Decision making and visibility in cats (Felis catus) in a progressive elimination task

When making decisions animals can rely on information stored in memory and/or on information available through perceptual processes. Under some circumstances, perceptual access to a relevant piece of information can be lost as when a prey hides under a cover. If this piece of information is critical, the animal must be able to keep it active in the working memory until the final decision is made. Species endowed with object permanence can to a certain extent overcome such a lack of perceptual access. Numerous studies have investigated object permanence in animals, but no study systematically examined the interaction when making a decision between an information directly available through perception and an information that can no longer be perceived. In the present study, domestic cats (Felis catus) were administered a progressive elimination task in which they had to visit and deplete either two visible and one hidden target (e.g., Experiments 1 and 2) or one visible and two hidden targets (e.g., Experiments 3 and 4). The cats were brought back to the starting point after each visit to any target whether that target had been previously visited or not. The results revealed that the cats searched at the visible target(s) first and at the hidden target(s) last, which was referred to as the visibility rule. The results also revealed that the position of the bowl that was distinct (e.g., the visible bowl when the two other ones were hidden and the opposite) influenced the way this cognitive rule was implemented. More specifically, when the intermediate bowl was distinct the visibility rule was readily implemented but when either the right of the left bowl was distinct the visibility was violated. That is the cats did no longer choose the visible target(s) first. The visibility rule was interpreted in terms of optimization principles, the external distinct target effect was interpreted in terms of divided attention and lateralization.     

Identification des facteurs liés à la consommation de cigarettes,d'alcool et de drogues à l'adolescence

The goal of this study was to identify protective and risk factors linked to substance use during adolescence. A sample of 1000 subjects participated in a four‐wave data collection. Results showed that precocious substance use is likely to be persistent. Moreover, school inadaptation, lack of parental supervision and positive self‐perception in relationships with peers have been identified as risk factors predictive of cigarette, alcohol and drug use. Protective factors were associated with high moral qualities and negative reaction to mother's use of cigarettes and alcohol. Findings are discussed in terms of developmental trajectories which might lead to substance use and abuse through adult life.     

Reviews: Books and Films

TO REDEEM ONE PERSON IS TO REDEEM THE WORLD: THE LIFE OF FRIEDA FROMM-REICHMANN. By Gail A. Hornstein. 390 pp. New York: The Free Press, 2000. $35. THE GUIDE TO PASTORAL COUNSELING AND CARE. Edited by Gary Ahlskog and Harry Sands. 415 pp. Madison, CT: International Universities Press and Psychosocial Press, 2000. $60. THE ART OF DYING: A JUNGIAN VIEW OF PATIENTS' DRAWINGS. By Yvonne Barnhouse Williams. 209 pp. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1999. $24.95. LITTLE SAINT. By Hannah Green. New York: Random House, 2000. $25.95. BODY AND SOUL: HUMAN NATURE AND THE CRISIS IN ETHICS. By J.P. Moreland and Scott B. Rae. 350 pp. InterVarsity Press, 2000. $22.99. MUHAMMAD AND THE RISE OF ISLAM: THE CREATION OF GROUP IDENTITY. By Subhash C. Inamdar, M.D. 266 pp. Madison, Ct: International Universities Press and Psychosocial Press, 2001. $40. MANAGING MANAGED CARE: SECRETS FROM A FORMER CASE MANAGER. By Susan Frager. 276 pp. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2000. $45. THE DISABLED GOD: TOWARD A LIBERATORY THEOLOGY OF DISABILITY. By Nancy L. Eiesland. 139 pp. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994. $15. A LIFE COMPLETE. By Sallierae Henderson. 222 pp. New York: Scribner, 2000. $24. BIOENGAGEMENT: MAKING A CHRISTIAN DIFFERENCE IN BIOETHICS TODAY. Edited by Nigel Cameron, Scott Daniel and Barbara White. 265 pp. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm.B.Eerdmans, 2000. $22. CALLED INTO HEALING: RECLAIMING OUR JUDEO-CHRISTIAN LEGACY OF HEALING TOUCH. By Linda L. Smith. 244 pp. Arvada, CO: HTSM Press, 2000. $22.95. SURVEYING THE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE: TRENDS IN U.S. BELIEFS. By George Gallup, Jr. and D. Michael Lindsay. 171 pp. Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1999. $17.95. The Straight Story. Snow Falling On Cedars     

Community Implementation Successes and Challenges of a Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Group for Individuals with a First Episode of Psychosis

CBT for psychosis has recently been called a best practice, suggesting that studies have demonstrated its efficacy with many populations. Community settings are encouraged to implement best practices such as CBT yet many factors can make the implementation of CBT challenging. Issues such as clinician resistance, setting, as well as client variables (refusal, denial of symptoms, etc.) come into play. Examples of successes and challenges of a community based study of CBT groups for first episodes will be described. The strategies used to overcome these challenges and the successes of the program will be presented.