Cheating following success and failure in heavy and moderate social drinkers

Two groups of American undergraduates (moderate and heavy social drinkers) completed a matrix task and received either positive or negative feedback on their performance. Following this they were given a maze task, which was designed so that cheating could be detected. Heavy drinkers cheated more than moderate drinkers under success conditions (positive feedback). Heavy drinkers who received positive feedback also cheated more than heavy drinkers who received negative feedback. The results are interpreted in terms of self-handicapping theory.     

Altering contingencies to facilitate compliance with traffic light systems

The effects of altering light pattern sequences on driver compliance at a busy, urban intersection were explored. The baseline light timing sequences resulted in only 46.8% of drivers stopping at the yellow or red lights. Using an A-B-C design, we altered light pattern sequences that increased the probability of drivers stopping at the signals to 88.8% and 98.8%. These findings indicate that traffic light contingencies have potent effects in influencing driver behaviors at busy intersections. Following completion of the study, the traffic engineer approved the permanence of the light timing pattern that increased traffic rule compliance. Accident data collected before and after the light timing changes indicated a reduction in automobile accidents.     

The effects of social motives on behavior in social dilemmas in two cultures

Subjects in Santa Barbara, California, and Groningen, The Netherlands, participated in a seven-person social dilemma game, presented in terms of a conservation of resources problem. Prior to their decision making in the social dilemma game, subject's social motive (altruistic, cooperative, individualistic, competitive) was assessed by means of two different classification procedures. On the basis of previous research findings American subjects were expected to display relatively more competitive social motives, and Dutch subjects relatively more cooperative ones. However, no indications of crosscultural differences were found neither with regard to the distribution of social motives nor with regard to the amount of resources taken for self in the social dilemma game. In both locations, competitive subjects took most resources for self, individualistic subjects took next most, cooperative subjects took less than individualists, and altruistic subjects took the least. In addition to predictive validity, indices of the convergent validity of two social motive assessment procedures were described.     

Understanding multiple personality with the Comprehensive Rorschach system

Exner's Comprehensive Rorschach system is utilized in studying a unique sample of patients--three multiple personalities. Each patient and a number of secondary personalities are tested. Several interpretative and technical aspects of Exner's system are clarified. All of the main personalities are ambient, extending Exner's conclusions regarding the implications of this style. The secondary personalities have personality structures which are remarkably different from those of the main personalities. Differences from previous studies are attributed to unique administrative features of the Comprehensive system.     

Do alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome patients acquire affective reactions?

In this study we report two experiments that investigate the acquisition of affective reactions. In Experiment 1, unfamiliar melodies were played to Korsakoff's syndrome patients and alcoholic and nonalcoholic control subjects who were matched with them according to age and education. Following a retention interval of 5 min, subjects received a preference test on old and new melodies. Korsakoff's syndrome patients showed the same increase in preference for old melodies as a consequence of prior exposures as control subjects did, but their recognition of melodies was significantly impaired in comparison with controls. In Experiment 2, the same subjects saw photographs of two men. Fictional biographical information depicted one as a "good guy" and the other as a "bad guy." After a retention interval of approximately 20 days, Korsakoffs recalled virtually none of the biographical information; however, 78% preferred the good guy, and impression ratings were less favorable for the bad guy. Korsakoff patients developed preferences and impressions even though they did not have voluntary access to the information on which the preferences were based. However, their impression ratings were less extreme than those of controls. The pattern of results of the two studies is discussed in terms of Johnson's (1983) MEM model of memory.     

Effects of luminance and contrast on direction of ambiguous apparent motion

A study is reported of the role of luminance and contrast in resolving ambiguous apparent motion (AM). Different results were obtained for the short-range (SR) and the long-range (LR) motion-detecting processes. For short-range jumps (7.5 min arc), the direction of ambiguous AM depended on brightness polarity, with AM only from white to white and from black to black. But for larger jumps, or when an interstimulus interval (ISI) was introduced, AM was less dependent on polarity, with white often jumping to black and black jumping to white. Two potential AMs were pitted against each other, one carried by a light stimulus and the other by a dark stimulus. The stimulus whose luminance differed most from the uniform surround captured the AM. Visual response to luminance was linear, not logarithmic. When the stimulus was modified to give continuous AM in one direction it was followed by a negative aftereffect of motion only when the spatial displacement was 1 min arc. A larger displacement (10 min arc) gave good AM but no motion aftereffect. Thus only short-range motion adapts motion-sensitive channels.     

Application of the method of fixed set to the size-weight illusion

Summary The method of fixed set (Uznadze, 1966) was applied to the size-weight illusion. After the repeated lifting of a small, heavy stimulus and a large, light one with both hands simultaneously, the size-weight illusion diminished. It increased after lifting a small, light stimulus and a large, heavy one. These changes in perception were explained as contrast effects caused by the sets which were fixed during the preceding lifts. The same method was applied to the weight-size illusion and the contrast effect was observed in some cases. The results of the application of the fixed-set method to the size-weight illusion and to the visual size perception were compared. All the results showed analogous patterns of conflicting states between the temporarily fixed set and the set that the subject prepares naturally for perception, such as the size-weight illusion. By way of conclusion, the size-weight illusion was assumed to be a kind of contrast effect in the light of Uznadze's theory of set.     

Alternation behavior, spatial discrimination, and reversal disturbances following 6-hydroxydopamine lesions in the nucleus accumbens of the rat

The effects of dopaminergic depletion of the nucleus accumbens was tested in various behavioral tasks such as alternation, spatial discrimination, and reversal learning, and in an extinction paradigm in a T maze. Animals with lesions showed impairment of spontaneous alternation behavior, disturbances in the acquisition of spatial discrimination, and great difficulty in reversing previously learned habits. In the extinction phase, experimental animals are unable to adjust their behavior, and continue to choose the previously reinforced arm of the T maze. It is suggested that the nucleus accumbens plays an important role in the transition of motivation into action, and that dopamine has a facilitatory influence on the mediation of these processes.