Performance of humans in variable-interval avoidance schedules programmed singly, and concurrently with variable-interval schedules of positive reinforcement

Performance maintained under single variable-interval avoidance schedules, single variable-interval schedules of positive reinforcement, and concurrent schedules consisting of a variable-interval avoidance component and a variable-interval positive reinforcement component, was studied in three human subjects, using points exchangeable for money as the reinforcer. Response rate in the single variable-interval avoidance schedules was an increasing function of the frequency of monetary loss avoidance. Response rate in the single variable-interval positive reinforcement schedules was an increasing function of the frequency of obtained monetary reinforcement. In the concurrent avoidance/reinforcement schedules, the rate of responding in the avoidance component increased, and the rate of responding in the positive reinforcement schedule decreased (with one exception) as a function of the frequency of loss avoidance in the avoidance component. The logarithms of the ratios of the response rates in the two components, and the logarithms of the ratios of the times spent in the two components, were linearly related to the logarithms of the ratios of the frequency of loss avoidance in the avoidance component to the frequency of reinforcement in the positive reinforcement component. All three subjects exhibited marked undermatching of response rate ratios to reinforcement frequency ratios. The results are discussed in the context of Herrnstein's quantitative model of operant performance.     

CAN SPATIAL TRAINING ERASE THE GENDER DIFFERENCES ON THE WATER-LEVEL TASK?

Spatial training has been only modestly effective at improving the performance of adolescents and adults on the water-level task. Based on previous findings with the task, a self-discovery training procedure was developed that involved having participants proceed from easier to more difficult problems along a dimension of increasingly greater competing perceptual cues. The training was effective in (a) eliminating the gender differences on the drawing task, and (b) significantly improving females' knowledge of the physical (invariance) principle, although not to the level of males. Training effects did not transfer to a related spatial task.     

A simple device for the preparation of exactly aligned dichotic tapes

A system is described involving three tape recorders and a control device whereby dichotic tapes can be prepared with onset alignment accurate to a few milliseconds, or to a measured asynchrony if required. No modifications of any sort are necessary for the three tape recorders. The two channels are separately recorded in the speaker’s own time, the only requirement being that the separate words be spoken with an interword interval of 350 msec or more, to provide sufficient time for starting and stopping the system. A tone burst is placed directly on tape on another channel ahead of each word, the latter being delayed by recording in tandem through two tape recorders. The first recorder is set to the delay (echo, NAB) facility, while the tone is recorded directly on the second. Subsequently, when this is done for each item on the two speech channels, the device, described below. utilizes the tone bursts to align the two input recorders. It then rerecords each pair of words on to the third (output or dichotic) machine, to the desired synchrony/asynchrony, and interitem interval. The system can be left to align the two channels automatically. A maximum repetition rate of two dichotic pairs every 1.3 sec can be achieved with Revox A77 tape recorders.     

Habituation of conditioned suppression

Habituation of a conditioned emotional response was investigated using a procedure which eliminated contaminating temporal discriminations. Three rats were trained to bar press on a random interval 60 sec schedule of milk reinforcement and variable duration tone-shock pairings were superimposed upon this baseline. Very little recovery from conditioned suppression was found over 60 sessions of testing and no systematic differences were found after a month's “vacation” from the procedure. Analysis of responding within the CS period showed uniform suppression. The data are discussed in terms of stimulus predictability.     

Best Practices Start With Screening: A Closer Look at Screening,Brief Intervention,and Referral to Treatment in Adolescent,Military, and LGBTQ Populations

Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is a flexible, evidence‐based approach to assessing risk and providing brief interventions for individuals with alcohol use disorders. This article identifies 3 diverse populations that could benefit from universal screening—a foundation of SBIRT—and provides resources and support for implementation across a broad range of settings.     

Presymptomatic Genetic Testing with an APP Mutation in Early-Onset Alzheimer Disease: A Descriptive Study of Sibship Dynamics

Early-onset Alzheimer disease (AD) accounts for only 5% of all cases of Alzheimer disease. To date, mutations in three different genes, the Amyloid precursor protein (APP), Presenilin 1 (PS1), and Presenilin 2 (PS2), have been identified as causative in early-onset AD, making predictive testing possible. Predictive testing for early-onset Alzheimer disease is a relatively new phenomenon. This paper describes the process of identifying a new mutation in the APP gene associated with early-onset AD, notifying family members, and offering participation in research as well as predictive testing. The goal is to share the complexities of predictive testing in a sibship newly identified as being at risk for an adult-onset, incurable neurodegenerative disease.