Unique transitions between stimuli and responses in SRT tasks: Evidence for the primacy of response predictions

The present experiments aimed at separating the impact stimulus and response predictions have on serial learning and performance in SRT tasks. In Experiment 1, a unique transition between two of four responses in an otherwise random response sequence was triggered by ambiguous stimulus transitions, allowing local response predictions but no stimulus predictions. The data indicated explicit transition knowledge and strong performance benefits. In Experiments 2 and 3, unique transitions between two of four stimuli in otherwise random stimulus sequences allowed local stimulus predictions under conditions of ambiguous response transitions. The data indicated fragmentary explicit transition knowledge but no performance effects. Experiments 4a and 4b reveal that the inefficacy of the unique stimulus transitions in Experiments 2 and 3 was presumably due to the fact that the stimuli differed with respect to conjunctions of response relevant and response irrelevant features which participants did not have to attend. However, although in Experiments 4a and 4b unique transitions between response relevant stimuli were applied, substantial explicit transition knowledge but only marginal performance effects resulted. It is argued i) that in SRT tasks learning mechanisms are addressed that primarily strive for reliable predictions of forthcoming responses and ii) that for these mechanisms to work the predictors have to be attended. Response transitions are easily learned and used because both criteria are fulfilled. In contrast, pure stimulus transitions are learned only if the predictive stimuli are attended, and learned stimulus transitions become effective only to the extent that the predicted stimuli specify the required responses.     

Psychotherapie und die Anerkennung des Fremden

The aim of the present paper is three-fold: it reveals the inherent limitations of the concept of disorder in psychopathology and psychotherapy. It argues that characteristics of the person such as individuality, subjectivity and identity, have to be considered in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic concepts. And it shows that psychotherapy is dependent on cultural, social and socio-economic factors that are neglected in many theories. The paper uses clinical and epistemological arguments. It arrives at the conclusion that the above mentioned limitations have a common ground. They could be overcome, if psychiatry and psychotherapy were self-reflective and self-critical in respect to the inherent limitations of theory and practice and if they integrated concepts of being different in their basic theories so that symptoms, persons and cultural or societal peculiarities could be recognised and acknowledged.—The paper has been written as a comment to D. Orlinsky's statements considering disorder-specific psychotherapies from the viewpoint of psychotherapy research.     

The genetics of deafness

Deafness is an etiologically heterogeneous trait with many known genetic and environmental causes. Genetic factors account for at least half of all cases of profound congenital deafness, and can be classified by the mode of inheritance and the presence or absence of characteristic clinical features that may permit the diagnosis of a specific form of syndromic deafness. The identification of more than 120 independent genes for deafness has provided profound new insights into the pathophysiology of hearing, as well as many unexpected surprises. Although a large number of genes can clearly cause deafness, recessive mutations at a single locus, GJB2 or Connexin 26, account for more than half of all genetic cases in some, but not all populations. The high frequency may well be related to the greatly improved social, educational, and economic circumstances of the deaf that began with the introduction of sign language 300-400 years ago, along with a high frequency of marriages among the deaf in many countries. Similar mechanisms may account for the rapid fixation of genes for speech after the first mutations appeared 50,000-100,000 years ago. Molecular studies have shown that mutations involving several different loci may be the cause for the same form of syndromic deafness. Even within a single locus, different mutations can have profoundly different effects, leading to a different pattern of inheritance in some cases, or isolated hearing loss without the characteristic syndromic features in others. Most cases of genetic deafness result from mutations at a single locus, but an increasing number of examples are being recognized in which recessive mutations at two loci are involved. For example, digenic interactions are now known to be an important cause of deafness in individuals who carry a single mutation at the Connexin 26 locus along with a deletion involving the functionally related Connexin 30 locus. This mechanism complicates genetic evaluation and counseling, but provides a satisfying explanation for Connexin 26 heterozygotes who, for previously unknown reasons, are deaf. A specific genetic diagnosis can sometimes be of great clinical importance, as in the case of the mitochondrial A1555G mutation which causes gene carriers to be exquisitely sensitive to the ototoxic effects of aminoglycosides. This potentially preventable genetic-environmental interaction was the most common cause of genetic deafness in countries where these antibiotics were used indiscriminately in the past. Advances in genetic knowledge along with the use of cochlear implants have posed unique ethical dilemmas for society as well as the deaf community. Since most deaf children are born to hearing parents, it seems likely that deaf culture, and intermarriages among those born with deafness will recede during this century. Will future critics view this as one of the medical triumphs of the 21(st) Century, or as an egregious example of cultural genocide? On the other hand, genetics can provide empowering knowledge to the deaf community that for the first time can allow many deaf couples to know whether their children will be hearing or deaf even before they are conceived.     

Response to Difficult Patients in Group Analysis: The Personification of I:A/M

The author focuses on the application of Hopper's proposal of an additional basic assumption (I:A/M) using a model of clinicians' theories: bridging theory, psychological theory, and clinical theory (Michels, 1999). This paper will describe the potential for advances in understanding particular group formations seen in clinical practice and other settings.     

Goal Imagery: Bridging the Gap Between Implicit Motives and Explicit Goals

Two studies examined the role of goal imagery (i.e., the perception-like mental representation of the pursuit and attainment of a goal) in establishing congruence between individuals' implicit motives and their inclination to pursue explicit goals assigned to them. Study 1 found that after a goal-imagery exercise, implicit needs for power and affiliation predicted participants' affective arousal and their commitment to a social-interaction goal furnished with power- and affiliation-related incentives. In Study 2, implicit power motivation predicted the level of performance participants achieved in pursuit of a competitive performance goal after a goal-imagery exercise. Without goal imagery, however, participants' motivation to pursue an explicit goal was independent of their implicit motive dispositions in both studies.     

Perception of coherent motion in random dot displays by pigeons and humans

Pigeons and humans were required to discriminate coherent from random motion in dynamic random dot displays. Coherence and velocity thresholds were determined for both species, and both thresholds were found to be substantially higher for pigeons than for humans. The results are discussed with reference to differences in motion processing in mammals and birds. It is suggested that the inferior motion sensitivity of pigeons can be attributed to poorer spatiotemporal motion integration.