Obsessive ruminations : a controlled trial of thought-stopping technique

Thought-stopping treatment for obsessive ruminations was described by Wolpe and Lazarus (1966) and more recently there have been several case-reports in some of which components of the method were unsystematically varied (Stern, 1970; Kumar et al., 1971; Yamagami, 1971). The present study examined one of these variables while holding constant the other components. When thought-stopping is given, the subject is usually relaxed (using a standard set of instructions to relax his muscles) and then asked to ruminate about the obsessive thought. The therapist then shouts ‘Stop’ while making a sudden noise at the same time. At this point the patient is told that he must stop thinking his obsessive idea ; after a pause, this interruption is repeated several times until the obsessional rumination ceases. This procedure was compared to a similar technique in which the patient imagined a neutral (‘control’) thought instead of an obsessive one prior to the onset of the ‘stop’ instruction. In every other way the two procedures were identical.     

Effects of temporal placement of response prevention on extinction of avoidance in rats

Two experiments investigated the effects of prior extinction trials upon the effectiveness of response prevention procedures (flooding) in facilitating extinction of avoidance in rats. The results showed that both prior CS only extinction trials and response prevention independently hastened extinction and that response prevention is enhanced if prior extinction has already taken place. The results were interpreted as being consistent with a relaxation interpretation of extinction of avoidance behavior providing a ‘distraction’ or ‘attention shift’ factor is incorporated into theory.     

The Effects of a Campus Building Occupation on Attitudes and Images of the Conflict1

Surveys were conducted before and after radical students occupied a campus building at Princeton University. The occupation led to reduced support for the radicals' demands and increased support for their militant action. The increased support for the militant action occurred even though no police were used. The results were interpreted in terms of a functional theory of attitudes. It was suggested that support for the demands or actions of the radicals was necessary in order to permit many students to appear radical. A second aspect of the study examined the mirror image hypothesis. Strong support for this hypothesis was obtained when it was found that the administration and the radicals appeared as direct opposites. This effect, however, was almost entirely confined to those students who strongly supported the radicals or the administration. Those who took a moderate view did not see the two parties as direct opposites.