The measurement of response force during a lever-press shock-escape procedure in rats

Three albino rats were given extensive exposure to an escape procedure in which shocks were scheduled to occur 30 sec apart. The amount of downward force exerted on the lever was continuously recorded and compared with traditional discrete measurement in which only responses above an arbitrary force threshold were recorded. Subjects typically remained in contact with the lever throughout the shock-free intertrial interval. Shock onset reliably occasioned a brief lurch from and return to the lever, which resulted in a lever-press escape response being recorded. Lever contact, which occupied an average of 90% of session time, showed great stability in force after a brief (e.g., 5-sec) period of instability after each shock terminated. In general, continuous measurement revealed considerably different results than discrete measurements of on-lever behavior. For example, continuous lever contact fluctuating near response threshold was often recorded as discrete responding, and sustained lever contact occurring below response threshold was omitted from discrete measurement.     

Book reviews

SANDERS, A. F. (Ed.). Attention and Performance III. Amsterdam: North Holland Publishing Company. 1970. Pp. viii + 442. (Price not known.)

CORCORAN, D. W. J. Pattern Recognition. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd. 1971. Pp. 223. £0.50.

SCHRIER, A. M. and STOLLNITZ, F. (Eds.) Behaviour of Nonhuman Primates Vol. III. New York: Academic Press Inc. 1971. £4.45.

KINTSCH, W. Learning, Memory, and Conceptual Processes. New York: Wiley and Sons. 1970. Pp. 498. £4.40.

MORTON, J. (Ed.) Biological and Social Factors in Psycholinguistics. London: Logos Press. 1971. Pp. 215. £3.50.

RITCHIE RUSSELL, W. The Traumatic Amnesius. London: Oxford University Press. Pp. 84. £2.00.

MILLER, N. E. Selected Papers. Chicago: Aldine Publishing. 1971. Pp. 874. £15.00.

SUTHERLAND, N. S. AND MACKINTOSH, N. J. Mechanisms of Animal Discrimination Learning. New York: Academic Press. 1971. Pp. 559. $18.50.

FURCHTGOTT, E. (Ed.). Pharmacological and Biophysical Agents and Behavior. New York: Academic Press. 1971. Pp. xii+402. $14.50.

EYSENCK, H. J., ARNOLD, W. AND MEILI,R. (Eds). Encyclopedia of Psychology. Volume I. London: Search Press. 1972. Pp. 396. £8.00.     

Students' perceptions and reported use of their memories after a memory-improvement course

23 college students who had taken a memory-improvement course completed a questionnaire at three different times: the beginning of the course, the end of the course, and two months after the end of the course. The questionnaire assessed the students' perceptions of their memory abilities, e.g., how good their memories were and how confident they were in their memories and knowledge about their memories, and their reported use of the memory techniques; it did not assess actual memory performance or ability. The students' responses to the questionnaire were compared with those of 23 control students who completed the questionnaire at the same three times. The memory students reported more positive changes in how they perceived their memory abilities and knowledge, and these reported changes in perceptions were still evident two months later. The students also reported that they were still using their memory techniques two months later.     

Using pavlovian higher-order conditioning paradigms to investigate the neural substrates of emotional learning and memory

In first-order Pavlovian conditioning, learning is acquired by pairing a conditioned stimulus (CS) with an intrinsically motivating unconditioned stimulus (US; e.g., food or shock). In higher-order Pavlovian conditioning (sensory preconditioning and second-order conditioning), the CS is paired with a stimulus that has motivational value that is acquired rather than intrinsic. This review describes some of the ways higher-order conditioning paradigms can be used to elucidate substrates of learning and memory, primarily focusing on fear conditioning. First-order conditioning, second-order conditioning, and sensory preconditioning allow for the controlled demonstration of three distinct forms of memory, the neural substrates of which can thus be analyzed. Higher-order conditioning phenomena allow one to distinguish more precisely between processes involved in transmission of sensory or motor information and processes involved in the plasticity underlying learning. Finally, higher-order conditioning paradigms may also allow one to distinguish between processes involved in behavioral expression of memory retrieval versus processes involved in memory retrieval itself.     

Study Preregistration: An Evaluation of a Method for Transparent Reporting

Study preregistration promotes transparency in scientific research by making a clear distinction between a priori and post hoc procedures or analyses. Management and applied psychology have not embraced preregistration in the way other closely related social science fields have. There may be concerns that preregistration does not add value and prevents exploratory data analyses. Using a mixed-method approach, in Study 1, we compared published preregistered samples against published non-preregistered samples. We found that preregistration effectively facilitated more transparent reporting based on criteria (i.e., confirmed hypotheses and a priori analysis plans). Moreover, consistent with concerns that the published literature contains elevated type I error rates, preregistered samples had fewer statistically significant results (48%) than non-preregistered samples (66%). To learn about the perceived advantages, disadvantages, and misconceptions of study preregistration, in Study 2, we surveyed authors of preregistered studies and authors who had never preregistered a study. Participants in both samples had positive inclinations towards preregistration yet expressed concerns about the process. We conclude with a review of best practices for management and applied psychology stakeholders.

     

The interplay of community and family risk and protective factors on adjustment in young adult immigrants

We examined the direct and interactive effects of community violence and both family cohesion and conflict on collective efficacy and aggressive behaviours among immigrant young adults. Participants included 221 young adults (ages 18–26; mean age = 21.36; 45.7% female, 190 born outside the U.S.) who completed self-report measures of their exposure to neighbourhood violence, social cohesion, collective efficacy and prosocial behaviours toward friends and strangers. Results, in general, showed that community violence and family cohesion were positively associated with collective efficacy whereas community violence and family conflict were positively associated with aggressive behaviours. Family cohesion and conflict also moderated the links between community violence and aggressive behaviours. Discussion focuses on the interplay of community and family processes and the relations to adjustment of immigrant young adults.