The behavioral specificity of stimulation: A systems approach to procedural distinctions of classical and instrumental conditioning

This paper presents a new methodological approach to classical Pavlovian investigations. Using a yoked group for stimulus pairing trial pacing, behavioral occurrence frequencies, sequential behavior patterns, and behavioral change dynamics are analyzed for rats in both a non-discriminative and a general setting discrimination paradigm. Theoretical issues addressed by a variety of new dependent measures are discussed, and a special emphasis is placed on comparing instrumental and classical procedures as viewed from the behavioral perspective of the subject.     

Emotional influences on evaluative judgments: Roles of arousal,attention, and spreading activation

A conceptual framework and experimental technique for investigating the influence of phasic emotional states on information processing are described. The theoretical framework utilizes the constructs of arousal, attention, and spreading activation to characterize the potential nature of emotional effects. The experimental technique employs a game format within which simple emotional states are elicited by incentive warning signals and feedback signals occurring within each trial. Subjects judged the emotional tone of a target word presented following the warning signal, and reaction times and error rates were measured. Two experiments demonstrated an effect related to general arousal; responses were faster and less accurate following valuable as compared to neutral warnings. In addition, both studies found several more selective effects. A congruent incentive influence was evident in the more efficient processing of positive words following positive incentives and negative words following negative incentives. An incongruent outcome influence was evident in the more efficient processing of positive words following trials involving negative feedback. Analyses of processing benefits and costs indicated that these selective influences arose from attentional rather than spreading activation mechanisms. Control conditions demonstrated that neither effect was influenced by cognitive variables involving the symbolic form of the warning, the location of the warning, or the location of positive responses. Instead, the two effects depended primarily on the presence of a valuable as compared to neutral incentive signal. These results are discussed in light of contemporary model of interactions between emotion and cognition.These studies were conducted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Oregon. I would like to thank my committee members S. W. Keele, M. I. Posner, and M. K. Rothbart, and also Marjorie A. Reed, for their many helpful suggestions.     

Recent developments in family behavioral marital therapy

This paper reviews recent developments in the area of behavioral marital therapy (BMT). New information is summarized regarding the long-term efficacy of BMT and the identification of predictors of positive response to treatment and to relapse. Finally, new applications of BMT techniques are reviewed (e.g., spouse-involved therapies as the sole treatment for presenting problems in which marital distress is not the primary focus such as anxiety and affective disorders).     

Enhancing Applesoft using ampersand routines

Machine language routines, which can provide many useful and unusual applications for BASIC, run faster than BASIC and usually occupy less memory than comparable BASIC routines. Examples of two types of easy-to-use enhancements to Applesoft BASIC are described. The first type consists of integrated collections of enhancements and extensions that are used as a group. A second type allows program developers to select only those routines that are desired. Features available in several sets of such routines are discussed.     

Private events revisited: Does unobservable mean private?

This paper presents a discussion on the misapplication of the concept private events in traditional psychotherapy interpretation. Shown is that, logically, the term privacy is contradictory to principles of science and it further inhibits anaturalistic approach to observation. Evidence of so-called private clinical events are presented within an alternative model that obviates the role of privacy and encourages primarily an objective outlook on the events.     

Exploratory study of black psychological health

Three groups of black men and women (primarily student groups) participated in this exploratory study which was designed to help participants define psychological health or wellbeing for themselves. Spirituality and religion were cited as being primary components of psychological health for all groups. However, the results are only suggestive given the small number of subjects. Finally, I discuss a distinction between spirituality and religion, developmental implications, and the role of oppression in defining black psychological health.     

The meaning of prayer: A Christian physician's experience

Christians in health care need a habit of prayer that allows them to express to God the full range of their reactions to daily experience. All of life can become the occasion for prayer when understood as communion or conversation. After brief commentary on this view of prayer, actual prayers are shared, demonstrating one Christian physician's attempts to pray without ceasing.This paper is part of a forthcoming book to be published by Broadman. All personal references in the article are to Dr. Elkins.     

A test of reciprocal risk between undesirable economic and noneconomic life events

The proposition that undesirable life experiences are risk factors for each other was explored by testing several hypotheses concerning the temporal relationships between economic and noneconomic life events. The tests were conducted using data describing the incidence of stressful experiences among approximately 3,500 Anglo and Hispanic residents of Los Angeles County. Findings suggested that Anglo men who have undesirable economic life experiences are at increased risk of subsequent undesirable noneconomic experiences. Anglo women, however, exhibited the opposite pattern in that those with undesirable noneconomic experiences were at greater risk of subsequent undesirable economic experiences. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed.