Effects of response preference on resistance to change

Treatments based on differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, such as functional communication training, are widely used. Research regarding the maintenance of related treatment effects is limited. Nevin and Wacker (2013) provided a conceptual framework, rooted in behavioral momentum theory, for the study of treatment maintenance that addressed two components: (a) reemergence of problem behavior, and (b) continued expression of appropriate behavior. In the few studies on this topic, focus has been on variables impacting the reemergence of problem behavior, with fewer studies evaluating the persistence of appropriate behavior. Given the findings from applied research related to functional communication training, variables related to response topography, such as response preference, may impact this aspect of maintenance. In the current study, the impact of response preference on persistence was evaluated in the context of functional communication training for individuals who did not exhibit problem behavior (Experiment 1) and for individuals with a history of reinforcement for problem behavior (Experiment 2). High‐preferred mands were more persistent than low‐preferred mands. These findings suggest that response related variables, such as response preference, impact response persistence and further suggest that response related variables should be considered when developing interventions such as functional communication training.     

Motivation as Mediator Between National Identity and Intention to Volunteer

Although there is a large volume of research on the relationship between social identity and volunteerism, little attention was given to national identity in volunteerism research. This study examined the role of national identity in motivating people to volunteer in the Chinese culture and its role in differentiating those who showed no interest in voluntary work (i.e. non‐volunteers) from those who wanted to volunteer but did not (i.e. potential volunteers). Two hundred ninety‐nine participants (age, M = 34.14 years) filled out a questionnaire on their demographics, experience of volunteering, intention to volunteer, volunteer motivations, and national identity. Results showed that a stronger national identity was associated with greater volunteer motivations. Mediation analyses further supported the positive indirect effect of national identity on intention to volunteer through strengthening volunteer motivations. Marital status was the only significant factor that differentiated current volunteers from potential volunteers. We concluded that citizens’ volunteer motivation increases with national identity, yet concrete measures to bring potential volunteers to actual volunteering need to be further explored. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Self-harm by omission: A question of skin containment

Abstract

This paper explores the phenomenon of ‘self-harm by omission’ and its relationship to other kinds of self-harming behaviour and to disturbances of psychic skin functioning (Bick, 1968 Bick, E. 1968. The experience of the skin in early object relations. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 49: 484–486. [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Process material from work with a patient ‘Kate’ is introduced to illustrate and clarify the matters under consideration. The conceptual framework provided by psychic skin theory is described, with particular reference to the defences of ‘toughening’ and ‘porosity’ and their relevance to understanding different kinds of self-harm. Arising from this work, suggestions are advanced with regard to further development and an extended range of application of a ‘skin containment’ conceptual framework.     

Forensic Interviewing Aids: Do Props Help Children Answer Questions About Touching?

The belief that props help children report abuse has fostered the widespread use of anatomical dolls and body diagrams in forensic interviews. Yet studies involving alleged abuse victims, children who have experienced medical examinations, and children who have participated in staged events have failed to find consistent evidence that props improve young children's ability to report key information related to bodily contact. Because props elevate the risk of erroneous touch reports, interviewers need to reconsider the belief that props are developmentally appropriate in forensic interviews, and researchers need to explore new approaches for eliciting disclosures of inappropriate touching.     

Fitts's law holds for action perception

Fitts's law is one of the most well-established principles in psychology. It captures the relation between speed and accuracy in performed and imagined movements. The aim of this study was to determine whether this law also holds during the perception of other people's actions. Subjects were shown apparent motion displays of a person moving his arm between two identical targets. Target width, the separation between targets, and movement speed were varied. Subjects reported whether the person could move at the perceived speed without missing the targets. The movement times reported as being just possible were exactly those predicted by Fitts's law (r(2)= .96). A subsequent experiment demonstrated the same lawful relation for the perception of a robot arm (r(2)= .93). To our knowledge, this makes Fitts's law the first motor principle that holds in imagery and the perception of biological and non-biological agents.     

Generalization of Sight Word Accuracy using a Common Stimulus Procedure: A Preliminary Investigation

The need to investigate strategies promoting the generalization of reading skills is well documented. The current study builds upon previous literature by examining the impact of a common stimulus procedure on accuracy of reading generalization words in isolation. The common stimulus procedure used in this study intended to enhance the salience of the orthographic and phonemic features between taught and generalization words by highlighting the common rime structure in each word with a specific color. Taught and generalization words representing four word families were used (e.g., end, et, ell, & en). Using a multiple-baseline design across three participants with a replication of procedures for a fourth student, the impact of the common stimulus on accuracy of reading generalization words was examined. Results demonstrated increased accuracy and stability of responding when common stimulus procedures were implemented.     

Extramarital sex: An examination of the literature

Extramarital sex in the marital system often provides difficult dilemmas for marital therapists in regard to treatment approaches. The authors examine various motivational and perceptual aspects among spouses for engaging in sexual activity outside the marriage. Implications for both research and treatment are discussed.     

Not all nonwords are alike: Implications for reading development and theory

Three experiments were designed to examine children's and adults' ability to pronounce consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) nonsense words. Some of the nonwords, like tain and goach, shared their VC unit with a number of real words. Other nonwords, like goan and taich, shared their VC unit with few or no real words. Pooling across items, the very same grapheme-phoneme correspondences occurred in the two types of nonwords. First graders, good and poor third grade readers, and adults all performed better on the nonwords with the more common VC units than on the nonwords with the less common VC units. Although readers appeared to use VC units in the pronunciation of nonwords, we did not find evidence for use of initial CV units. Implications of the results for reading development, dyslexia, and models of nonword pronunciation are discussed.     

TIMING AND APPARENT MOTION PATH CHOICE WITH HUMAN BODY PHOTOGRAPHS

Abstract— In demonstrations of apparent motion, observers typically report seeing motion along the shortest possible path between two sequentially presented objects. Recent work has demonstrated that violations of this shortest path rule occur with realistic photographs of a human body displayed for sufficiently long temporal intervals when a longer path is more anatomically plausible than the shortest path. The current set of experiments investigated the mechanisms by which information about biomechanical motion constrains apparent motion perception. In Experiment 1, we demonstrated, first, that the availability of extra processing time does not simply—in and of itself—result in the perception of longer paths of apparent motion. Second, we rejected the hypothesis that the perception of biomechanically correct paths of apparent motion depends on biologically appropriate velocities. In Experiment 2, we discovered that the longer the motion path required to satisfy the biomechanical movement limitations of the stimulus, the longer the time needed to construct and therefore perceive that path. These findings together suggest that additional processing time is necessary, but not sufficient, for interpolations of longer paths.     

Counselling, careers education and pastoral care: Beyond the National Curriculum

The National Curriculum and other recent educational reforms in the UK have had the effect of compartmentalising children's education into the measurable—usually the academic—and of undervaluing its socio-emotional aspects. A symposium presenting different views of the implications of these reforms is introduced. A plea is made for all professionals involved in education to move from a reductionist view to one which truly enhances the whole child.