Phenomenological method and philosophy of history

Continental Philosophy Review - The purpose of this study is to examine the phenomenological method as it applies to the philosophy of history. This leads me to divide my inquiry into two parts. I...     

Identity Shift III: Effects of Publicness of Feedback and Relational Closeness in Computer-Mediated Communication

Identity shift occurs when an individual's self-perception changes as a result of feedback to her or his self-presentation. This research, the third in a series, further explores the influences of identity shift, specifically exploring the effects of the publicness of feedback to an individual and the relational closeness between the individual and feedback provider on the individual's subsequent self-perceptions of her or his extraversion. An experimental study (N = 56) utilized a 2 (extroverted/introverted) × 2 (private/public feedback) × 2 (feedback from a relationally close/nonclose partner) design. Results of between-groups analysis revealed both main intensification effects of public and relationally close feedback and an interaction effect between the conditions. Findings are discussed with respect to identity shift, the hyperpersonal model, and online self-presentation.     

An assessment of social validity trends in applied behavior analysis

Research articles published during the first 31 years of Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis were assessed for reports of social validity measures. Two measures of social validity (treatment outcome and treatment acceptability) were assessed for each article. In addition, articles were assessed for the incorporation of analog versus naturalistic settings. Overall, treatment outcome and acceptability measures were reported in less than 13% of articles. In addition, studies conducted in naturalistic settings were more likely to report social validity measures than studies conducted in analog settings. Possible reasons for the deficit in the reporting of social validity measures and potential outcomes of this deficit are discussed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Knowledge and Truth in Virtuous Deliberation

Philosophia - The overall aim of this paper is to explore the role of knowledge and truth in the practical deliberation of candidate virtuous agents. To this end, the paper considers three...     

Depression and power in mariage

To investigate the association between depression and power within marriage, fourteen couples in which the female partner was depressed were compared with fourteen non-depressed couples on a range of variables which assessed power bases, processes and outcomes, three domains identified in Cromwell and Olson's (1975) analysis of marital power. Compared with non-depressed couples, those containing a depressed female partner had distinctive profiles, and a subset of the characteristics of these couples was uniquely associated with depression and quite distinct from the couples' levels of marital satisfaction. The results are discussed in terms of theories of power in relationships and are seen to highlight the importance of including marital therapy as part of a treatment package for married women with depression.     

The reductive effects of noncontingent reinforcement fixed-time versus variable-time schedules.

The effects of fixed‐time (FT) and variable‐time (VT) schedules on responding were evaluated with 2 adults with mental retardation. Multielement and reversal designs were used to compare the effects of FT and VT schedules in reducing responses previously maintained on variable‐ratio reinforcement schedules. The schedules were equally effective in reducing the target behavior.     

Functional assessment and treatment of pica: a single‐case experiment

The pica of a 6‐year‐old girl diagnosed with autism was initially shown to persist in the absence of socially mediated consequences. In an attempt to provide a competing source of oral stimulation, we used a stimulus preference assessment to identify food items that were subsequently presented noncontingently. However, the noncontingent schedule could not be thinned to a practical variation while still maintaining reductions in pica. A subsequent multielement evaluation of response blocking and verbal reprimands demonstrated that neither intervention both produced and maintained low levels of pica. Verbal reprimands were then used in conjunction with noncontingent food presentation, but this intervention did not produce significant reductions in pica. Suppression of pica was ultimately obtained in both a clinic setting and in the child's natural environment using contingent, varied auditory stimulation. The results are discussed in the context of the ‘least restrictive alternative’ model of treatment selection. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of a brief multiple-stimulus preference assessment in a naturalistic context

We evaluated a brief multiple-stimulus preference assessment within the context of an early intervention program for 3 children who had been diagnosed with autism. Subsequent curriculum-based reinforcer evaluations confirmed the predictions of the preference assessments. In addition, eight additional preference assessments that were conducted over a period of 1 month indicated generally stable preferences for 2 of the 3 participants.     

Cartoons varying in low-level pain ratings,not aggression ratings,correlate positively with funniness ratings

In three studies, cartoons were rated for aggression, pain, and funniness in order to determine whether aggression, pain, or both correlated with funniness and whether a positive or inverted-U function described the relationship. Pain correlated more reliably with funniness than did aggression. A probable explanation for this is that cartoons showed greater variability in pain than in aggression ratings, since pain could be self-inflicted or could result from a mishap or from another's aggression. Funniness increased to asymptote within the first third of the pain dimension and was unaffected by further pain increases. No significant downward trend in funniness was observed with increased pain ratings. The results were interpreted by assuming that cartoon violence is a salient dimension, in which to create discrepancies, and that the discrepancies were reflected in the pain ratings.These studies were supported by Ball State University Research Grants.