Control of CRT intensity via Apple II software

An inexpensive, easy-to-build device for the Apple II microprocessor is described. The modification permits software control of four levels of relative screen intensity (contrast) settings for any video monitor. The relationship of the technology to choice reaction time and perception research is briefly indicated. Principles governing operation of the modification are also discussed. Finally, a set of step-by-step instructions for building the device is provided.     

Recognition and Ratings of Television Music Videos: Age, Gender, and Sociocultural Effects

High school, younger college, and older college subjects rated explicit, neutral, or Christian television music videos according to theme clarity/recognition and whether the respective videos were liked/disliked. Subjects of each age group were able to recognize the themes of each music-video category with a high degree of accuracy. Younger subjects and males were found to rate the music videos, especially those selected for explicitness, more favorably than older or female subjects. Sociocultural background factors were also found to be related to recognition and ratings of the television music videos. In particular, working class background subjects. subjects who watched music videos regularly, and those that seldom or never attended church rated the music videos, especially the explicit ones, more favorably than subjects from a college town background, subjects who seldom or never watched music videos, and subjects who regularly attended church. These findings were interpreted in terms of media-based social influence processes and reciprocal determinism.     

Multiple role juggling and daily mood states in working mothers: an experience sampling study

The effects of multiple role juggling (i.e., simultaneously attending to demands of different roles) on daily mood states of employed mothers were examined. Ss completed activity and mood questionnaires 8 times a day for 8 days. Multiple role juggling had immediate negative effects on task enjoyment and mood. However, contrast effects and habituation to role juggling occurred when mood and satisfaction were examined over time. Furthermore, mood states tended to spill over from one episode to the next within a day, but contrast effects were found across days. These results reflect the complex nature of psychological adjustment to multiple role occupancy.     

The spiritual well-being and need of parishioners

In this study we compare the spiritual well-being and need of healthy and ill parishioners, creating data that pastors can use as background in assessing pastoral need within their parishes. Three questionnaires generate the data, and the results demonstrate increased need of parishioners in the hospital. Specifically, women hospitalized for problem pregnancies demonstrate statistically more need than healthy parishioners, and these data suggest that pastors should assess their needs carefully. A group of patients who fight their metastasized cancer create scores statistically similar to healthy parishioners. Demographic variables also have an impact on spiritual well-being and need, particularity the parishioner's age and level of education.This research was supported in part by the Section of Graduate Education and Research, the Department of Family Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.The PIL and SONG were obtained through the Institute of Logotherapy in Saratoga, California. The Spiritual Well-Being Scale was used with permission of Craig W. Ellison.     

Choice as a function of local versus molar reinforcement contingencies.

Rats were trained on a discrete-trial probability learning task. In Experiment 1, the molar reinforcement probabilities for the two response alternatives were equal, and the local contingencies of reinforcement differentially reinforced a win-stay, lose-shift response pattern. The win-stay portion was learned substantially more easily and appeared from the outset of training, suggesting that its occurrence did not depend upon discrimination of the local contingencies but rather only upon simple strengthening effects of individual reinforcements. Control by both types of local contingencies decreased with increases in the intertrial interval, although some control remained with intertrial intervals as long as 30 s. In Experiment 2, the local contingencies always favored win-shift and lose-shift response patterns but were asymmetrical for the two responses, causing the molar reinforcement rates for the two responses to differ. Some learning of the alternation pattern occurred with short intertrial intervals, although win-stay behavior occurred for some subjects. The local reinforcement contingencies were discriminated poorly with longer intertrial intervals. In the absence of control by the local contingencies, choice proportion was determined by the molar contingencies, as indicated by high exponent values for the generalized matching law with long intertrial intervals, and lower values with short intertrial intervals. The results show that when molar contingencies of reinforcement and local contingencies are in opposition, both may have independent roles. Control by molar contingencies cannot generally be explained by local contingencies.     

Patterns of psychophysiological change in the treatment of agoraphobia

Patterns of change and synchrony were studied in a group of 26 agoraphobics under-going a 12-week treatment program. Clinical, behavioral, physiological and subjective measures were taken at pre-, 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment and at 1-month follow-up.Clinically and statistically significant changes were found in all response systems and our results tentatively suggest that the order of change starts with behavioral and clinical measures followed by psychophysiological measures of which psysiological responsivity has the longest lag.Although the group as a whole changed synchronously, there was evidence of individual desynchrony between physiological and subjective measures of anxiety. The most common form this look was for SUDS to decline while heart rate increased. A closer look at desynchrony in the various time sequences revealed that both the form and occurrence of desynchrony vary according to phase of treatment and that time interval between assessment points might-be of crucial importance in the determination of synchrony-desynchrony.