The use of an intermittent schedule of reinforcement to evaluate detection dogs’ generalization from smokeless-powder

Animal Cognition - Odor generalization is essential for detection dogs. Regardless of its importance, limited research is available on detection dog odor generalization. The objectives of this...     

Didn't You Run the Spell Checker? Effects of Type of Spelling Error and Use of a Spell Checker on Perceptions of the Author

We investigated expectations regarding a writer's responsibility to proofread text for spelling errors when using a word processor. Undergraduate students read an essay and completed a questionnaire regarding their perceptions of the author and the quality of the essay. We manipulated type of spelling error (no error, homophone error, non-homophone error) and information provided about the author's use of a spell checker (no information, author did not use a spell checker, author did use a spell checker). Participants' perceptions of the author's abilities and the quality of the essay suffered when the essay contained non-homophone spelling errors—errors that are typically flagged by a spell checker. Further, participants reported that they would be most likely to blame the writer rather than the spell checker for spelling errors contained in the text. These findings suggest that perceptions of both an author's abilities and the written products are affected by spelling errors. Even when supportive tools are available, the responsibility for producing error-free text remains with the author.     

Socially Optimized Learning in a Virtual Environment: Reducing Risky Sexual Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men

A socially optimized learning approach, which integrates diverse theoretical perspectives, places men who have sex with men (MSM) in an interactive virtual environment designed to simulate the emotional, interpersonal, and contextual narrative of an actual sexual encounter while challenging and changing MSM's more automatic patterns of risky responses. MSM assume a character's identity and are scaffolded in their decision‐making and relearning process by supportive, and often humorous, peer coaches who encourage situated learning of self‐regulatory and behavioral skills, and tailor and frame their responses to be responsive to the men's behavioral choices. In a longitudinal design, participants were randomly assigned to receive either an interactive video (IAV) intervention with peer counseling or to a peer‐counseling‐alone control. Compared to the counseling alone, men who also received the IAV reduced risky anal sex behaviors and increased protected anal sex behaviors.     

Increasing Psychological Capital: A Pre-Registered Meta-Analysis of Controlled Interventions

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the overall effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance psychological capital (PsyCap), well-being, and performance. We used inclusion criteria such as: to have an experimental design, the sample to be formed by employees or students, to contain a measure of PsyCap, and a control group. Forty-one trials (N_total = 3,911) met these criteria. The overall effect of the interventions on all PsyCap variables was significant but small (d = 0.34, k = 41, Z = 6.74, p < .001). Separate analyses on each of the PsyCap variables also revealed significant effects: small effects on developing PsyCap (d = 0.26, k = 9, Z = 4.37, p < .001), hope (d = 0.22, k = 5, Z = 2.26, p < .05), self-efficacy (d = 0.37, k = 18, Z = 4.11, p < .001), and optimism (d = 0.36, k = 12, Z = 2.52, p < .05), and a small to medium effect for resilience (d = 0.49, k = 12, Z = 3.61, p < .001). The effectiveness of the PsyCap interventions on well-being and performance is also significant.     

Military Veterans' Experiences with Suicidal Ideation: Implications for Intervention and Prevention

We sought to understand Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans' experiences with suicidal ideation. Semi‐structured interviews with 34 OEF/OIF veterans addressed circumstances leading up to disclosure of suicidal ideation during brief clinical assessments. We used an iterative, inductive and deductive thematic analysis approach. Results revealed three pervasive, persistent domains that reinforce the uniqueness of veteran suicidal thoughts: military culture, difficult deployment experiences, and postdeployment adjustment challenges. Within postdeployment, we identified four themes that serve as intervention targets: adjusting to civilian culture, changes to sense of self, feeling overwhelmed by stressors, and lacking life purpose or meaning.