Recovery of structure and function following transection of the primary olfactory nerves in pigeons.

Preliminary experimentation on ring doves to ascertain whether they might regulate any aspects of their reproductive behavior in terms of olfactory cues was vitiated by the discovery that their sectioned olfactory nerves had apparently regenerated. Concurrent work on frogs has shown that the olfactory receptors degenerate after axotomy and are replaced by new ones. This phenomenon was studied in pigeons. All transected nerves were found to be healed. Electrical recording from the regenerated nerves revealed apparently normal receptor function and, indirectly, autonomic reflex responsiveness. Previously untrained pigeons learned an olfactory discrimination after reconstitution of the peripheral olfactory system using a conditioned suppression procedure. The olfactory nerves of trained pigeons were sectioned and the behavioral response recovered within 16-82 days. The gross sizes of primary olfactory nerves and olfactory bulbs were frequently much less than those of controls, but on the ultrastructural level there was no recognizable morphological deficiency in the receptor cellular organelles or terminal synaptic contacts in bulbar glomeruli. Recent results by other workers indicate that pigeons utilize olfactory cues in homing performance.     

Increasing mentally retarded adolescents' verbalizations about current events

The effects of antecedent and consequent events on the verbal behavior of three institutionalized mentally retarded adolescents were examined. Verbal statements, related to current national and international events, were recorded after exposures to television news programs. The study examined the accuracy of verbalizations as a function of: (1) exposures to television news presentations in massed (i.e., viewing the entire news program before an opportunity to describe it) versus distributed from (i.e., viewing each news item separately with each followed by an opportunity to describe it), and (2) contingent tokens and social praise for correct verbal responses (i.e., statements corresponding to news items presented). Both the temporal distribution of news presentations and the reinforcement procedures improved the accuracy of verbal statements emitted by the subjects.     

Procrustes matching by congruence coefficients

Matching by Procrustes methods involves the transformation of one matrix to match with another. A special least squares criterion, the congruence coefficient, has advantages as a criterion for some factor analytic interpretations. A Procrustes method maximizing the congruence coefficient is given. This solution is identical to Mosier's [1939] approximate solution, but is an exact solution for maximum congruence.     

Teachers and parents as researchers using multiple baseline designs

Two teachers and a parent used three basic multiple baseline designs to investigate the effects of systematic reinforcement and punishment procedures in the classroom and at home. (1) A fifth-grade teacher concurrently measured the same behavior (tardiness) in three stimulus situations (after morning, noon, and afternoon recesses). Posting the names of pupils on a chart titled "Today's Patriots" was made contingent on being on time after the noon recess, then successively also the morning and afternoon recesses. Tardiness was reduced to near zero rates at the points where contingencies were applied. (2) A highschool teacher recorded the same behavior (daily French-quiz grades) of three students. She then successively applied the same consequences (staying after school for individual tutoring for D and F grades) for each student. At the points where the contingency was applied, D and F grades were eliminated. (3) A mother concurrently measured three different behaviors (clarinet practice, Campfire project work, reading) of her 10-yr-old daughter. She successively applied the same contingency (going to bed early) for less than 30 min spent engaged in one after another of the behaviors. Marked increases in the behaviors were observed at the points where the contingency was applied.     

Adolescent patterns of communication about sexually related topics

For this investigation, a sample survey of 179 black females, representing 53 family units, provided data for examining familial patterns in the amounts of information received about the menstrual cycle, sex, and contraception among adolescent daughters, mothers, and grandmothers, and the major source of information about these three topic areas. Significant relationships were found within the triads in the amount of information received about the three topic areas, suggesting familial patterns in the amount of information transmitted intergenerationally. This sample was more likely to report mothers as the source of information, suggesting their importance as formal agents of sexual socialization. Although this sample received large amounts of information about the menstrual cycle, sex, and contraception from their mothers, much information that is necessary for sexual health and informed decision making was neglected. The very young mean age (12.3 years) at first intercourse and the low proportion (24.2%) of teenagers using a method of birth control at first intercourse suggested that intergenerational communication about sex and contraception may not be meeting adolescents' needs. Consequently, attention should be focused not only on mothers as agents of sexual socialization of teenagers, but also the quality and impact of that information on the sexual health of teenagers.     

Psychological considerations related to the development of computerized testing stations

A review of pertinent recent events in psychological assessment suggests greater use of computerized testing systems in the future. Just as there are problems of response bias with paper-and-pencil test methods, there are also such problems when using the computer medium for assessment. Problem areas and possible solutions are reviewed. Future research needs are discussed.     

Developmental differences in the role of detail in picture recognition memory

Two experiments assess the effect of the amount of physical detail in pictures on picture recognition memory. Children and adults were presented simple and complex line drawings. A “same-different” recognition test followed in which the distractor items were original pictures from the presentation phase with the amount of physical detail altered. For second- and fourth-grade subjects, recognition sensitivity, measured in terms of d′, was similar for pictures in the simple and complex presentation conditions. For adults, however, recognition sensitivity was greater for pictures in the simple than complex presentation condition. This finding with adults was replicated in Experiment 2. Interpretations of this age difference in picture memory processing are discussed, as well as the constraints imposed by various dependent measures used in picture memory studies.     

Lunchroom noise control using feedback and group contingent reinforcement

Reduction of noise levels in an elementary school lunchroom was examined as a function of feedback and feedback plus reinforcement using group contingency procedures. Feedback consisted of signals from a traffic light, with green indicating acceptable levels, yellow indicating levels approaching undesirable, and red indicating unacceptable levels. Other behaviors, including running, hitting, pushing, and kicking, were measured incidentally. Results indicate that feedback plus reinforcement was effective in reducing noise levels. Feedback only was also effective, but to a lesser degree. No response-response relationship was found to exist between noise level and the other behaviors.