Independently delivered food decelerates fixed-ratio rates

Following fixed-ratio baselines, the independent delivery of reinforcers was scheduled alone or concomitant with the fixed-ratio schedule for all subjects. Systematic manipulations of either the interreinforcement interval or the ratio size were also made during concomitant schedules. Response rates during the independent delivery of reinforcers did not decelerate until the subjects had been exposed for 50 or more sessions. Rates decelerated after a few sessions when the interreinforcement intervals were less than half of the original value and scheduled along with the ratio dependency. When both schedules were available, reductions in the ratio size resulted in slight deceleration of response rate when compared with the level of deceleration yielded by reductions in the independent reinforcement intervals.     

Self-defense as an exoskeletal coping mechanism in women

Women enrolled in a Beginners' Judo-jujitsu class, as compared to women in Crafts, Physical Fitness, and Advanced Judo-jujitsu classes, were found to perceive the world as more threatening as measured by word lists involving bodily concern and fearfulness and to employ exoskeletal defenses as measured by adornment on the DAP. It was suggested that the exoskeletal coping mechanism may play an important role in the way in which women defensively handle threat.     

Differentiation of occupational perceptions among different age groups

The perception of occupations plays a key role in many vocational behaviors and in theories of vocational development. This study hypothesizes that occupational perceptions are more specific for older age groups than for younger age groups.This hypothesis was tested by using latent root analysis and minimum residual factor analysis to analyze the intercorrelations among six Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) scales for five large and diverse samples-elementary school students, rural high school seniors, college freshmen, employed salesmen, and employed women.Both analyses supported the hypothesis. The results are discussed in relation to those of Cureton (1970) and the implication is drawn that occupational perceptions may be used to estimate a person's level of vocational development.     

A comparative analysis of mother-father speech in the naturalistic home environment

The purpose of this study was to compare qualitatively and quantitatively the communicative interactions of fathers and mothers with their young child in the naturalistic home environment. Ten couples of similar background served as subjects. Three different settings—(a) mother and child, (b) father and child, and (c) mother and father with child—were arranged and 30-minute tape-recordings were made in the homes with the use of wireless recording equipment. Although differences were found as mothers and fathers interacted alone with their child, the similarities outweighed the differences. When both parents were together with their child, there were even fewer differences. The results indicate that both parents can provide very similar programmable input for the child and that the child acquires languages in a rich and highly varied linguistic environment.This research was sponsored by Wichita State University Grant No. 3394-22.     

The relationship between children's sociometric status and ability to recognize facial expressions of emotion

This study explored the relationship between children's sociometric status (SMS) and ability to recognize emotions from facial expressions. As expected, high SMS children obtained significantly higher emotion recognition scores than did low SMS children. However, there was an unanticipated inverse correlation between low SMS children's recognition scores from adult photgraphs and child photographs. Possible reasons for the observed relationships are discussed.