Children on the autism spectrum update their behaviour in response to a volatile environment

Typical adults can track reward probabilities across trials to estimate the volatility of the environment and use this information to modify their learning rate (Behrens et al., 2007). In a stable environment, it is advantageous to take account of outcomes over many trials, whereas in a volatile environment, recent experience should be more strongly weighted than distant experience. Recent predictive coding accounts of autism propose that autistic individuals will demonstrate atypical updating of their behaviour in response to the statistics of the reward environment. To rigorously test this hypothesis, we administered a developmentally appropriate version of Behrens et al.'s (2007) task to 34 cognitively able children on the autism spectrum aged between 6 and 14 years, 32 age‐ and ability‐matched typically developing children and 19 typical adults. Participants were required to choose between a green and a blue pirate chest, each associated with a randomly determined reward value between 0 and 100 points, with a combined total of 100 points. On each trial, the reward was given for one stimulus only. In the stable condition, the ratio of the blue or green response being rewarded was fixed at 75:25. In the volatile condition, the ratio alternated between 80:20 and 20:80 every 20 trials. We estimated the learning rate for each participant by fitting a delta rule model and compared this rate across conditions and groups. All groups increased their learning rate in the volatile condition compared to the stable condition. Unexpectedly, there was no effect of group and no interaction between group and condition. Thus, autistic children used information about the statistics of the reward environment to guide their decisions to a similar extent as typically developing children and adults. These results help constrain predictive coding accounts of autism by demonstrating that autism is not characterized by uniform differences in the weighting of prediction error.     

Recency and suffix effects in pictures as a function of recall method

Two studies compared recency and suffix effects in pictures. In Experiment 1, which used strict serial recall, the recall curve for the control condition fell sharply until the final position when it exhibited a small but significant amount of recency. No suffix effects were present. In Experiment 2, a modified free recall condition exhibited a U-shaped serial position curve and significant recency. Picture and graphic suffixes led to small, reliable end-of-sequence suffix effects, but spoken suffixes did not. Thus pictures appear to lead to recency and suffix effects similar to those produced by static visual alphanumeric stimuli when strict serial recall is used. With a modified free recall procedure, recency is enhanced and suffix effects appear. The implications of the results with pictures and of differences between the two recall procedures are discussed with respect to literature in the area on pictures (Cohen, 1972) and American Sign Language (Krakow & Hanson, 1985; Shand & Klima, 1981). Additionally, some new methods of defining and analyzing recency, which are also applicable to primacy, are proposed and used in the paper to bring out more clearly the effects present.     

A Qualitative Study of the Supports Women Find Most Beneficial When Dealing with a Spouse’s Sexually Addictive or Compulsive Behaviors: Insights for Pastoral Counselors and Clergy

There is currently a void in the literature regarding the kinds of support women find most beneficial when dealing with a spouse’s sexually addictive or compulsive behaviors. Addressing this void is particularly relevant for clergy, seeing as they are increasingly sought out as an initial and/or primary support for dealing with this marital issue. Using grounded theory methodology, 22 women from Canada and the USA were interviewed to find out what they found most helpful as they sought support to cope with a spouse’s sexually addictive and compulsive behaviors. Insights for pastoral counselors and clergy were highlighted.     

Physical attractiveness and health: comment on Weeden and Sabini (2005)

Evolutionary behavioral biology suggests that certain characteristics of the human face and body are important for mate preferences and are therefore subject to sexual selection. J. Weeden and J. Sabini identify a number of weaknesses in the association between traits' attractiveness and health. In contrast, the authors argue that (a) studies on preferences for physical characteristics that rely on 1 trait permit only limited interpretation, (b) limitations placed on J. Weeden and J. Sabini's review exclude important associations, (c) there are misconceptions in their treatment of some traits, and (d) their selected literature provides an inaccurate picture regarding effect size. The authors suggest that future research in this field should seek conceptual and methodological constancy in trait selection and in the evaluation of attractiveness- and health-related traits.     

Influence of task demand characteristics on workload and performance

Two experiments are reported that examined the influence of variation in task demand on performance and workload. The first experiment considered how the manipulation of prior level of task demand affected subsequent workload and performance. The second experiment examined the effects on performance and workload of increments in the level of task demand. Results from the first study indicated that prior level of imposed task difficulty did affect response in a manner consistent with a scaling of workload in relation to previous task conditions. The second study demonstrated the primacy of absolute demand level over increments in that demand as influencing operator response. Overall, our results indicate that workload and performance are sensitive to multiple characteristics of the task and not instantaneous demand level alone. These findings are important in explaining why association and dissociation occur between task demand, operator efficiency, and perceived workload in differing performance contexts. The importance of these findings for the aviation psychologist in assessing pilot and operator workload is articulated.     

EFFECTS OF AN ORAL HYGIENE PUNISHMENT PROCEDURE ON CHRONIC RUMINATION AND COLLATERAL BEHAVIORS IN MONOZYGOUS TWINS

This study investigated the suppressive effects of an oral hygiene punishment procedure on the ruminative behavior of profoundly retarded monozygous twins. Rumination, fingers in mouth/tongue out, appropriate behavior, and stereotyped behavior were measured before and during treatment with oral hygiene. Treatment was introduced for each meal in succession across the twins in a multiple-baseline design. Results showed that the rate of rumination of both twins was dramatically reduced to very low levels and stereotyped behavior increased spontaneously with the introduction of oral hygiene. Maintenance data showed that response reduction was maintained over a six-month period and, when compared to baseline levels, increased rates of socially appropriate behavior were evident in both children.     

Generational Differences as a Determinant of Women's Perspectives on Commitment

Differences between 116 graduate and undergraduate women, representing 4 generations (i.e., Baby Boomers, Transitionals, Generation Xers, and Millennials), were studied to categorize earliest awareness and definitions of commitment in relationships. More than 63% of participants in each generation viewed relationship commitment in terms of constraints rather than attractions.     

Depression and medication adherence among breast cancer survivors: Bridging the gap with the theory of planned behaviour

Evidence suggests that more depressed breast cancer patients will less likely adhere to treatment plans. This study presents evidence that the theory of planned behaviour mediates the relation between depression and intentions to adhere to treatment plans and between depression and lack of adherence to medication regime. Two hundred and thirteen women undergoing breast cancer treatment participated in this study. Measures of depressive symptoms and planned behaviour variables were collected at the first time point; measures of medication adherence were collected at the second time point. Structural equation models were utilised to fit the data to the proposed models. Depressive symptoms were significantly correlated to both intentions and medication adherence. In support of hypotheses, the relation between depressive symptoms and treatment intention was mediated by attitudes towards health maintenance plans. The relation between depressive symptoms and medication adherence was fully mediated by the planned behaviour process. Conditions under which treatment intentions and perceptions of control in adhering to treatment were most related to medication adherence were elucidated. The results point to avenues for interventions to increase medication adherence among breast cancer patients. Manipulating attitudes and perceptions of control towards treatment plans will potentially serve to increase medication adherence.