Stimulus factors in aversive controls: conditioned suppression after equal training to two stimuli

Pigeons trained to peck a key for food were periodically presented with tones ending with electrical shock until tone presentation consistently suppressed ongoing pecks. Shock was then discontinued and gradients of stimulus generalization were assessed by presenting tones with frequencies above, below, and at the frequencies of those used to develop conditioned suppression. When the training tones had frequencies at 670 and 1500 cps, resulting gradients were bi-modal with peak suppression at 670 and 1500 cps. Of the other test tones, 1000 cps produced the most suppression. When the training tones had frequencies at 450 and 2250 cps, bi-modal gradients were again obtained with peak suppression to the 450 and 2250 cps tones. Of the other test tones, 1000 cps produced the least suppression. These results support the hypothesis that generalized response tendencies summate.     

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Pastoral Psychology -     

Fixed ratio and extinction performance of infants in the second year of life

Five 14(1/2)- to 19(1/2)-month-old infants were trained to lever press for snacks on small fixed ratio schedules of reinforcement. Within four to nine sessions, responding under FR 10 was established for four subjects and FR 15 for the other. Each subject's last session revealed behavioral patterns similar to animal and human FR trained subjects-a high and constant ratio rate, mixed with a zero rate following reinforcements. Deviations were mostly in the form of prolonged and variable post-reinforcement pauses. These and other irregularities were probably due to the limited deprivation conditions and improper training procedures in which the ratio (for two subjects) was ascended too early and too quickly. Extinction was instituted during the last session. The degree to which extinction performance matched that of other organisms depended upon how stable and "ratio-like" performance was during conditioning.     

Prognostic signs for the pastoral counselor from the life of Christ

Summary In this paper I have suggested examples of character traits in persons Jesus tells us about, or whom he dealt with, which can serve as suggestive material in determining the prognosis of persons either in or contemplating pastoral counseling. Among these I have given: first, the ability of a person to reach out, still trying to become life-related or to maintain the relations which he has already established; second, the capacity of the person for relationship, his being able to have feeling, interest, or concern for others, or reality beyond himself; and, third, I have indicated the idea of a person's being able to look at himself in an objective sense, not merely needing to live a defensive life, guardedly protecting his ego as though it could not tolerate any kind of a critical approach. In these concepts of self I believe we have the basic questions regarding the person's success or failure in the process of pastoral counseling.