Benjamin Nathans, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Beyond the Pale: The Jewish Encounter with Late Imperial Russia</Emphasis>. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002, 424 pp.

Review Essay

Benjamin Nathans, Beyond the Pale: The Jewish Encounter with Late Imperial Russia. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002, 424 pp.     

Some discriminative properties of fixed ratio performance in the pigeon

The discriminative control over a spatial choice response exercised by prior behavior was studied using a procedure involving discrete exposures to a two-member chained schedule. The initial member (red key) was either a smaller or larger fixed ratio (Mix FR:FR), the completion of which produced, after a 1-sec delay, two white response keys. If the larger FR had been completed as the initial chain member, a single peck on the right white key was reinforced; after the smaller FR, a peck on the left white key was reinforced. Frequencies of unreinforced responses (S(Delta) responses) were determined with several pairs of red-key FRs: 95-5, 75-25, 65-35, 60-40, 58-42 and 50-50. The S(Delta) response frequencies were low through the FR pair 65-35; sharp increases were obtained with pairs 60-40 and 58-42. Later, curves analogous to stimulus generalization functions were obtained using a probe procedure. Finally, the delay interval between completion of a red-key FR and the white-key choice response was manipulated: results were variable, but S(Delta) response frequencies tended to increase with increasing delays.     

Motivational interviewing for employment: An exploration of practitioner skill and client change talk

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidenced-based approach for building and strengthening motivation for change. The effect of MI training on practitioner conversations with unemployed clients within a government work and income service was evaluated using a mixed-method approach, comprising a multiple-baseline across practitioner (n = 5) design and a pre/post quasi-experimental design. After workshop MI training, practitioners demonstrated greater MI skills in conversations with clients, and MI skills were maintained during the period of post-workshop feedback and coaching. There was also more change talk spoken by clients in conversations that occurred post-MI workshop training compared to pre-training, suggesting increased motivation for change.     

The Corsi Block-Tapping Task: Methodological and Theoretical Considerations

The Corsi block-tapping task has enjoyed extensive use in clinical and experimental studies for a quarter of a century and is arguably the single most important nonverbal task in neuropsychological research. Nevertheless, there has been considerable inconsistency not only in the administration and scoring of this measure, but also in the physical properties of the test apparatus. In this paper, we survey a wide range of studies that have made use of the block-tapping task during the past 25 years and provide a detailed appraisal of the manifold methodological variations. Additionally, we discuss the historical context in which the Corsi originated and offer a critical examination of the cognitive processing operations purported to underlie performance on this task.     

A COMPARISON OF NONCONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT AND SENSORY EXTINCTION AS TREATMENTS FOR SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR

We compared the effects of two treatments, noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) and sensory extinction (EXT), on the self-injurious behavior (SIB) exhibited by 3 individuals with developmental disabilities. Results of a functional analysis indicated that their SIB was not maintained by social reinforcement, as indicated by undifferentiated responding across assessment conditions or higher rates of responding in the alone condition. Prior to treatment, leisure probes were conducted to identify highly preferred items for use in the NCR condition, and equipment probes were conducted to identify devices that produced the greatest behavioral suppression for use in the EXT condition. Following baseline, treatment was implemented in a multiple baseline across subjects design, and the effects of NCR and EXT were compared in a multielement format. During NCR sessions, participants had continuous access to a highly preferred item. During EXT sessions, participants wore equipment (gloves or protective sleeves) that seemed to attenuate stimulation directly produced by their SIB, while still allowing the behavior to occur. Results indicated that both procedures were effective in reducing SIB, although NCR was associated with either more rapid or greater overall response suppression.     

Program for advanced studies in integrative psychotherapy: Family,couple, and individual therapy (an interdisciplinary program)

This article describes briefly an advanced program in integrative marital and family therapy and individual psychotherapy established at the Hebrew University of Jersusalem in 1993–94 and its first two years of successful operation.     

A system for controlling the light output of a monochromator by any simple function and for temporally modulating the intensity

This paper describes an apparatus that controls the output of a monochromator so that the energies in each waveband can be equated according to any desired function. A photocell monitors the light from the monochromator and provides a feedback to the power supply driving the lamp. A function generatoris mechanically linked to the monochromator’s wavelength drive and provides the function for correcting the output spectrum. Once set, the light output remains constant even if the bulb ages or is replaced. If desired, a sinusoidalripple of variable frequency and amplitude can be imposed on the mean intensity of the light.     

EQUATING INVERSE PROBABILITIES IN IMPLICIT PERSONALITY JUDGMENTS

Abstract— Meehl and Rosen (1955) observed that their colleagues tended to equate the sensitivity of a sign (its probability given a diagnostic category) with its predictive accuracy (the probability of the diagnostic category given the sign). Such equating of inverse probabilities implies ignoring base rates. Later, many researchers demonstrated such neglect in a number of experimental contexts involving hypothetical judgments; others have found some use of base rates—but only when base rates were supplied by the experimenter, in which case even irrelevant base rates influenced judgment. The present study tested for equating conditional probabilities in a context similar to the contexts involved in the initial observations—that is, subjects strove for accuracy rather than attempted to make good judgments about hypothetical problems, and the base rates were generated by the subjects themselves. Neglect of base rates was revealed by within-individual comparisons showing subjects equated inverse probabilities without equating the corresponding unconditional ones.     

Behavioural knowledge amongst staffing groups for the care of the intellectually disabled

A multiple choice inventory was used to assess the behavioural knowledge of staff providing services to people with an intellectual disability. The relationships between performance on the inventory and other staff related variables were investigated. Results support previous research and indicate a low level of behavioural knowledge amongst direct care staff. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to staff training and selection.