Locus of control and the aggression inhibiting effects of aggressive humor appreciation

Empirical investigation into the theoretical connection between humor appreciation and aggression has provided a continued series of equivocal results. This experiment examined the proposition that previous inconsistencies were due to the lack of concern for individual locus of control. Female subjects, differentiated as internals and externals, received either an aggression arousal induction procedure or a neutral nonarousal procedure. Subjects were presented three stimulus situations: neutral humor, aggressive humor, or nonhumorous material, and assessed for mood state. Locus of control was found to be a significant variable in the effectiveness of aggressive humor to reduce aggressive mood. Internals were able to reduce aggressive mood through appreciation of aggressive humor and demonstrated preference for this humor type. Importance of internals' cognitive style interacting with humor content was found significant in relationship between humor and aggressive reduction.     

THE UNIT PLAY MANAGER AS FACILITATOR OF PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITIES AMONG INSTITUTIONALIZED PROFOUNDLY AND SEVERELY RETARDED BOYS

Child care workers were trained in specified techniques (play manager routines) in an effort to increase purposeful activity among a group of profoundly and severely retarded institutionalized boys. A system of prompts, increasing the availability of toys and regular staff monitoring, were alternated with normal institutional routines in an ABA reversal design. On the average, activity level increased from 10% to a mean of 70% during treatment conditions. Correspondingly, stereotyped or harmful behaviors decreased from an average of 20% to 70% during treatment.     

Childhood loss and disharmony: later effects on personality and psychopathology

In a comparison of psychiatric inpatients and medical controls parental loss in childhood was not a differentiating factor. Psychiatric inpatients, however, had more disturbance in their home background.In the psychiatric group a disturbed childhood background was associated, on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, with abnormal scoring on P in both sexes, and N in males. There was, however, no specific association with psychiatric diagnosis.     

Introduction to two-dimensional Fourier analysis

The application of two-dimensional Fourier analysis provides new avenues for research in visual perception. This tutorial serves as an introduction to some of the methods used in two-dimensional Fourier analysis and an introduction to two-dimensional image processing in general.     

Neuropsychological Performance in Gulf War Era Veterans: Traumatic Stress Symptomatology and Exposure to Chemical–Biological Warfare Agents

Because complaints of diminished concentration and memory are among the most common health symptoms reported by Gulf War (GW) veterans with unexplained illnesses, this study investigated neuropsychological functions among GW veterans and controls. Relationships between neuropsychological performance, severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology, and exposure to chemical–biological warfare agents (CBW) were assessed. Participants were 225 veterans recruited from three cohorts: GW-deployed veterans from Ft. Devens, MA ( n = 141) and New Orleans, LA (n = 37), and Germany-deployed veterans from a Maine National Guard unit (n = 47). A comprehensive evaluation was completed. Severity of subclinical PTSD symptomatology was significantly related to scores on specific neuropsychological tests. PTSD symptom severity in GW-deployed veterans was found to be greater and associated with a broader range of neuropsychological deficits than in Germany-deployed veterans. PTSD severity was associated with lower performance on a range of neuropsychological tasks, whereas CBW exposure contributed to performance deficits on specific cognitive tasks.