Adaptive regression and types of cognitive flexibility

The relationship between adaptive regression and cognitive flexibility was explored in a group of 42 college students. Adaptive regression was measured with the Holt scoring system for the Rorschach. One type of cognitive flexibility was measured by Guilford's tests of divergent production (Word Fluency, Associational Fluency, and Alternate Uses) and a second type by Mednick's Remote Associates Test. Adaptive regression was found to be significantly positively related to the Remote Associates Test in males but not in females. Adaptive regression was found to be unrelated to divergent production tests. These relationships were not found to be mediated by Rorschach productivity or verbal intelligence. A two-stage process was proposed to account for the cognitive operations underlying adaptive regression and the Remote Associates Test. The first stage is seen as a generative (primary process) stage, while the second stage is seen as an evaluative (secondary process) stage. Possible reasons for sex differences were also discussed.     

The relationship between arousal and positive self-presentation

Investigated the validity of the hypothesis that subjects would experience arousal if they received information suggesting that they were presenting themselves to others in a negative manner. Twenty-seven subjects were randomly assigned to a control, evaluation apprehension, or negative feedback group. Subjects' heart-rate was continuously monitored as subjects' rated a series of photographs. Subjects in the evaluation apprehension group were given a cue as to how to present themselves positively whereas subjects in the negative feedback group were told, following their response to the 15th photograph, that their responses suggested maladjustment. Heart-rate change above a baseline measure revealed that an increase in heart-rate occurred only when subjects were informed that they were transmitting negative information. Such a finding supports a positive self-presentation explanation of subject motives in the psychological experiment.     

Imagery ability in recall of distance and location information

The role of visual imagery in short-term retention of movement end locations and distances was examined by comparing performances of subjects with extreme scores on the space relations section of the Differential Aptitude Test. Twelve HIGHS and twelve LOWS were tested on reproduction accuracy of six distances and six end locations immediately following presentation a 30-sec rest, a 30 sec imaginal rehearsal condition, and a 30-sec imaginal distraction condition. Initial analysis of the data provided little support for the hypothesis that HIGHS would reproduce criterion locations with more accuracy than LOWS. However, when scores of HIGHS reporting use of an imaginal coding strategy (HIGHS) were compared with LOWS who did not (LOWS), several expected findings were disclosed. HIGHS reproduced end locations with significantly less error in the immediate and imaginal rehearsal conditions, and as expected, accuracy scores for HIGHS and LOWS did not differ for the distance task. The findings suggest that when subjects employ an imaginal coding strategy, visual imagery ability may be an important factor in the retention of location information, but of little functional significance in the recall of distance.     

Evaluation of a coaching strategy to reduce swimming stroke errors with beginning age-group swimmers

A coaching strategy to decrease errors in swimming strokes with swimmers who had not improved under "standard" coaching procedures was investigated using a multiple baseline design across subjects and swimming strokes. The procedure resulted in a large decrease in errors on swimming strokes during sessions in a training pool. Stimulus generalization of improved performance to normal practice conditions in the regular pool was observed with all but one swimmer. This improvement was maintained during two maintenance phases lasting approximately 2 weeks, as well as under standard coaching conditions during at least a 2-week follow-up. For two swimmers, error rates on one of the strokes showed a gradual increase between the third and fifth week of follow-up, but brief remedial prompting sessions immediately corrected their performance. Some beneficial response generalization to other components of the stroke being trained was observed, but no improvements were found on untrained strokes. The error correction package did not disrupt practice, require excessive amounts of the coach's time, or necessitate the use of cumbersome apparatus. In addition, the coach and the swimmers considered the procedures to be effective, and expressed their willingness to participate in them again in the future.     

Scoring the Rorschach: a constructive critique of Exner's Comprehensive Rorschach System

John Exner's rationale for scoring the Rorschach and his decision to score "blend" responses by assigning equal weights are critically reviewed. The resultant exclusion of new responses made during the Inquiry of the Free Association responses is viewed as a major deficiency in the Comprehensive Rorschach System. A change to Klopfer's "Main-Additional" scoring method is recommended as a corrective.     

Response rate, latency, and resistance to change

Pigeons were trained on a multiple variable-interval/variable-interval schedule with pacing contingencies that generated high response rates in one component and low response rates in the other. Timeout periods separated the schedule components. During resistance-to-change tests, response-independent food was presented during the timeout periods, and the duration of that food presentation was varied among test sessions. Response rates in the schedule components decreased and latencies to the first response increased as a function of the duration of food presentations during the timeout. Both dependent measures changed about the same amount relative to their own baseline levels. The conclusions are that baseline response rates controlled by pacing contingencies are equally resistant to change, given equal reinforcement densities, and latency is a sensitive measure of resistance to change.     

GPS,一个模拟人类思惟的程序

GPS 是 General Problem Solver(通用问题解决者)的缩写,是一个计算机程序的名称。GPS 是用来探讨人工智能的一个重要手段,同时,它的各种变式也对人在解决问题时的思惟进行了模拟。GPS(以及在它之前的 Logic Thcory Machine,简称 LT 程序)的建立,标志着对思惟心理学的研究从传统的实验心理学方法跨入了信息加工的领域,用信息加工的观点和方法来探讨人的思惟行为。它为思惟心理学的研究,开拓了更广阔的前景。本文主要讨论 GPS 对人解决问题时的思惟行为的模拟,讨论人的思惟的心理学问题。     

《列宁的辩证法和实证主义的形而上学》一书结束语

当列宁在《哲学笔记》中尖锐而又十分明确地表达他对唯物辩证法的明快简练的观点时,这些观点决不只是(甚至可以说不是)作为他重新批判性地研究黑格尔著作的结论加以表述的,而是(甚至首先是)他在哲学领域中多年斗争的结果。这种斗争是他为反对马赫主义者、“主观社会学”的拥护者、“合法马克思主义者”以及把马克思主义思想僵化的教条主义等倾向而不得不进行的。这些倾向在第二国际的理论家中间(特别是在普列汉诺夫及其学生那里)表现得十分明显。     

IQ的生物学基础

智力研究的名声,已经被骗子的欺骗行径所败坏,为种族主义所沾污,就象炼丹术士的罐子一样黑。最近的争论集中在:智力是不是天生的?种族之间有没有区别?智力测验能否真正测量智力,或者只是表征一个人接受特定的文化的程度?目前有两个英国