Human neuropsychology: Some differences between korsakoff and normal operant performance

Summary Operant reinforcement schedules were used to investigate the effects of changes in reinforcement rates on the behavior of alcoholic Korsakoff (amnesic) patients and normal control subjects. In one test, both groups were exposed to pairs of variable-interval (VI) reinforcement schedules which operated concurrently. The distribution of reinforcements controlled the distribution of responses of normal subjects to a significantly greater extent than those of the Korsakoff patients. In a second test, two VI reinforcement schedules were arranged to run one at a time in succession. Reinforcement-rate differences with the successive (multiple) schedules did not produce corresponding response-rate differences for either group of subjects. The findings stress the complexity of the alcoholic Korsakoff syndrome, and emphasize the need to consider possible motivational abnormalities as determinants of alcohol-induced amnesia. In addition, results underscore both the value and the limitations of using operant procedures in human learning research.Supported in part by PHS Grants NS 07615 and NS 06209, by PHS RCDA K04 NS 00161 to M. O. Berman, and by the Medical Research Service of the Veterans Administration. Address offprint requests to M.O. Berman, BVAMC, 150 So. Huntington Ave., Boston, MA. 02130, USA     

Selective effects of an anaesthetic drug on cognitive behaviour

The prediction has been tested that under the influence of an anaesthetic drug, nitrous oxide, cognitive performances undergo differential impairment, the extent of which is positively correlated with the “complexity” of the task, Ten kinds of performance were investigated, ranging from speed of finger tapping to reasoning by analogy. The relative complexity of each task was determined, in accordance with conventional criteria, from its respective qualitative category or “level”—relational, associative, and motor—and within each category from qualitative analysis of the component processes involved in its execution. A simple group difference design was used, involving two groups of 50 subjects each, matched for age and sex.

Significant deterioration as a consequence of drug administration occurred in the performance of all tasks. On the whole, the more complex a task the more did it tend to be impaired. Motor performances were, however, impaired to a greater extent than had been predicted. The possible significance of these findings is discussed.     

Response style and the revised NEO personality inventory: validity scales and spousal ratings in a Chinese psychiatric sample

The effects of response style bias on profile scores from the family of NEO scales and the resultant influence of response style on the predictive capacity of these scales continues to be debated. In this study, a large sample of Chinese psychiatric patients were categorized into four response style groups based on their scores from recently developed "validity" scales for the revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R). Mean differences and correlations between self-report and spousal ratings of these patients were examined for the NEO PI-R domain and facet scales. Excessive positive self-presentation bias resulted in mean differences between the self-report and spousal ratings for N and E. Correlations between self-report and spousal ratings were reduced in patients engaging in positive self-presentational bias compared to those who were not so categorized on three of the five NEO PI-R scales. However, these results were manifest only in a sub-sample of psychotic patients. Negative self-presentational bias did not affect mean differences or diminish the correlations between the self-report and spousal ratings.     

Body Without End: Biological Mutualism and the Body of Christ

This article argues that the ecological turn towards biological mutualism enlivens our understanding of the eschatological promise contained in Christ’s resurrected and ascended body. I examine the implications of proposing that Christ’s body was not only incarnate as microbiome, but also rose and ascended as microbiome. First, I analyse contemporary approaches to Christology’s relation to creation and Andrew Davison’s theological exploration of mutualism. I then respond via Irenaeus’ defence of Christ’s bodily resurrection and ascension as promise for all flesh. By reading Irenaeus in light of the mutualistic body, we enrich our understanding of this promise: of fruitfulness for all creation, of fullness for human nature, and that fleshly life is no ultimate barrier to union with God. Finally, I propose that this reading also offers renewed insight into the Eucharist: this promise and its implications are also made manifest at the heart of the church, Christ’s body on earth.     

Well-being during the coronavirus pandemic: The effect of big five personality and COVID-19 beliefs and behaviors

This study examined the relationship between personality traits, COVID-specific beliefs and behaviors, and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, at the onset of a second major lockdown, Australian adults (n = 1453) completed measures of Big Five personality, COVID beliefs and behaviors (i.e., belief in a rapid recovery, perceived risk, compliance, change in exercise, and change in interpersonal conflict), subjective well-being and COVID-specific well-being. Personality correlates of COVID-specific well-being differed from those with general life satisfaction. The benefits of conscientiousness were elevated whereas the benefits of extraversion and agreeableness were reduced. Neuroticism was related to greater perceived risk from the pandemic, elevated interpersonal conflict during the pandemic, and more pessimistic views about the rate at which society would recover from the pandemic. In contrast, conscientiousness was notably related to greater compliance with directions from public health authorities. While regression models showed that general well-being was largely explained by personality, COVID factors provided incremental prediction, and this was greatest when predicting COVID-specific well-being and lowest for global evaluations of life satisfaction. The observed prediction by beliefs and behaviors on well-being beyond personality, provides potential opportunities for targeted interventions to support the management of future novel stressors.     

The Motivational and Instantaneous Behavior Effects of Contexts: Steps Toward a Theory of Goal‐Directed Behavior1

Contextual conditions affect behavior in 2 ways: (a) They confront people with opportunities and obstacles that affect their motivation to take action; or (b) they instantaneously shape performance, regardless of a person's motivation and even without subjective acknowledgment of the conditions. Traditionally in psychology, the immediate behavioral consequences of a context are disregarded. Based on our theory of goal‐directed behavior, we are able to disentangle the instant and the motivational behavioral consequences of contexts. In an example study, 40% of the variation in performance among 660 Swiss and Spanish pupils was explained by motivational differences. Instantaneous constraints and facilitations imposed on people's acts, in turn, revealed a set of Switzerland‐ and Spain‐specific limitations and affordances (hit rate = 97.5%).     

Structural and Community Change Outcomes of the Connect‐to‐Protect Coalitions: Trials and Triumphs Securing Adolescent Access to HIV Prevention,Testing, and Medical Care

Connect to Protect (C2P), a 10‐year community mobilization effort, pursued the dual aims of creating communities competent to address youth's HIV‐related risks and removing structural barriers to youth health. We used Community Coalition Action Theory (CCAT) to examine the perceived contributions and accomplishments of 14 C2P coalitions. We interviewed 318 key informants, including youth and community leaders, to identify the features of coalitions’ context and operation that facilitated and undermined their ability to achieve structural change and build communities’ capability to manage their local adolescent HIV epidemic effectively. We coded the interviews using an a priori coding scheme informed by CCAT and scholarship on AIDS‐competent communities. We found community mobilization efforts like C2P can contribute to addressing the structural factors that promote HIV‐risk among youth and to community development. We describe how coalition leadership, collaborative synergy, capacity building, and local community context influence coalitions’ ability to successfully implement HIV‐related structural change, demonstrating empirical support for many of CCAT's propositions. We discuss implications for how community mobilization efforts might succeed in laying the foundation for an AIDS‐competent community.     

Retrieval attempts enhance learning regardless of time spent trying to retrieve

Attempting to retrieve information from memory is an engaging cognitive activity. We predicted that people would learn more when they had spent more time attempting to retrieve. In experiments 1a and 1b, participants were shown trivia questions for 0, 5, 10, or 30 seconds and then the answer was revealed. They took a final test immediately or after 48 hours. Retrieval enhanced learning, but the length of the retrieval attempt had no effect (i.e., final test performance was equivalent in the 5-, 10-, and 30-second conditions and worse in the 0-second condition). During the initial retrieval attempt, more time did increase recall, suggesting that participants continued to engage in productive retrieval activities when given more time. Showing the answer for longer (7 versus 2 seconds) increased learning in Experiments 2a and 2b. Experiment 3 examined the effect of retrieval success and Experiment 4 replicated the results using different materials. These results have direct implications for current theories of retrieval.