Decision making and visibility in cats (Felis catus) in a progressive elimination task

When making decisions animals can rely on information stored in memory and/or on information available through perceptual processes. Under some circumstances, perceptual access to a relevant piece of information can be lost as when a prey hides under a cover. If this piece of information is critical, the animal must be able to keep it active in the working memory until the final decision is made. Species endowed with object permanence can to a certain extent overcome such a lack of perceptual access. Numerous studies have investigated object permanence in animals, but no study systematically examined the interaction when making a decision between an information directly available through perception and an information that can no longer be perceived. In the present study, domestic cats (Felis catus) were administered a progressive elimination task in which they had to visit and deplete either two visible and one hidden target (e.g., Experiments 1 and 2) or one visible and two hidden targets (e.g., Experiments 3 and 4). The cats were brought back to the starting point after each visit to any target whether that target had been previously visited or not. The results revealed that the cats searched at the visible target(s) first and at the hidden target(s) last, which was referred to as the visibility rule. The results also revealed that the position of the bowl that was distinct (e.g., the visible bowl when the two other ones were hidden and the opposite) influenced the way this cognitive rule was implemented. More specifically, when the intermediate bowl was distinct the visibility rule was readily implemented but when either the right of the left bowl was distinct the visibility was violated. That is the cats did no longer choose the visible target(s) first. The visibility rule was interpreted in terms of optimization principles, the external distinct target effect was interpreted in terms of divided attention and lateralization.     

On‐line ostracism affects children differently from adolescents and adults

This research examines adults', and for the first time, children's and adolescents' reaction to being ostracized and included, using an on‐line game, ‘Cyberball’ with same and opposite sex players. Ostracism strongly threatened four primary needs (esteem, belonging, meaning, and control) and lowered mood among 8‐ to 9‐year‐olds, 13‐ to 14‐year‐olds, and adults. However, it did so in different ways. Ostracism threatened self‐esteem needs more among 8‐ to 9‐year‐olds than older participants. Among 13‐ to 14‐year‐olds, ostracism threatened belonging more than other needs. Belonging was threatened most when ostracism was participants' first experience in the game. Moreover, when participants had been included beforehand, ostracism threatened meaning needs most strongly. Gender of other players had no effect. Practical and developmental implications for social inclusion and on‐line experiences among children and young people are discussed.     

Contribution of the dorsal subiculum to memory for temporal order and novelty detection using objects,odors, or spatial locations in the rat

The contribution of the dorsal subiculum (DS) to memory for temporal order and novelty detection was assessed using a spontaneous exploration paradigm with objects (visual/tactile stimuli), odors, or spatial locations (Hunsaker, Fieldsted, Rosenberg, & Kesner, 2008). Rats with selective excitotoxic lesions of the DS were compared to sham-operated rats (SHAM) in the two exploration tests. In temporal order tests, two previously explored stimuli were presented and normal rats typically show a preference for exploring the stimulus that was first explored compared to the other stimulus. In novelty detection tests, a familiar and a new stimulus were presented and normal rats typically have a preference for exploring new stimuli. In temporal order tests, results indicated that Group SHAM explored significantly more the first than the last stimulus they met when the stimuli were odors or objects. In addition, SHAM rats predictably displayed a significant preference for the new stimulus in the novelty detection tests with objects, odors, and spatial locations. Group DS did not differ from controls on the temporal order and the novelty detection tests with objects or odors. However, on the novelty detection test with spatial locations, Group DS differed from Group SHAM. These results suggest that the DS is necessary for the memory of spatial locations but not of objects and odors.     

Emotional encounter: Researching young people's intimate spaces in their information & communication technology practices

This article discusses the role and place of emotions in research and, particularly, in researching young people's intimate spaces in their information and communication technology (ICT) practices. It echoes Harris and Hutington's remarks (2001) that we cannot claim to explore and understand people's social life, without taking into account the potentially powerful role played by emotion. In this paper, I show how adopting a relational position in terms of theoretical framework, such as I have developed it, has two main implications: First, it considers the exploration of young people's intimate sphere of emotion as a central task; second, it involves discussing the methodological tools that render such an exploration possible. I present how I translated these implications, by means of an ethnography of young people's practices in Montreal and, notably, by recursive interviews. Finally, I show how emotions cross over, and are imbricated in, both young people's practices and in my relationship with the young people themselves, showing all the great wealth of this emotional encounter.     

Accuracy and Bias in Perceptions of Spouses' Life‐Sustaining Medical Treatment Preferences1

This research investigated accuracy, projection bias, and base‐rate utilization in spouses' perceptions of end‐stage renal disease patients' preferences for life‐sustaining medical treatment in hypothetical conditions of declining health. Multilevel models revealed that spouses' perceptions were largely biased, determined by their own preferences for the patients' treatment (projection bias) and by typical treatment preferences (base‐rate utilization). Both biases, however, served as indirect routes to a modest degree of accuracy. Moreover, spouses who overestimated patients' preferences for life‐sustaining treatment and who perceived patients' preferences as consistent with their own reported higher levels of marital adjustment than did those who were less biased. Results suggest that spouses' biases in judgments of patients' treatment preferences may promote accuracy and marital adjustment functionally.     

Unconscious phantasy and its conceptualizations: An attempt at conceptual integration

That there is a lack of consensus as to how to decide between competing, at times even contradictory theories, and about how to integrate divergent concepts and theories is well known. In view of this situation, the IPA Committee on Conceptual Integration (2009–2013) developed a method for comparing the different versions of any given concept, together with the underlying theories and fundamental assumptions on which they are based. Only when situated in the same frame of reference do similarities and differences begin to appear in a methodically comprehensible and reproducible form. After having studied the concept of enactment followed by the publication of a paper in this Journal in 2013, we proceeded to analyze the concept of unconscious phantasy while at the same time continuing to improve our method. Unconscious phantasy counts among the central concepts in psychoanalysis. We identified a wide range of definitions along with their various theoretical backgrounds. Our primary concern in the present paper addresses the dimensional analysis of the semantic space occupied by the various conceptualizations. By way of deconstructing the concepts we endeavoured to establish the extent to which the integration of the different conceptualizations of unconscious phantasy might be achieved.     

Impacts of Non-Driving Related License Suspensions on Quality of Life: a Qualitative Study

Applied Research in Quality of Life - The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine if and how non-driving related license suspensions impact affected individuals’ quality of life....