Effects of Age and Intentionality on Content Memory and Temporal Memory for Performed Activities

Seventy-two young (18–28), 72 young-old (ages 57–70), and 72 old-old (71–93) adults completed 10 different laboratory activities. Intention to learn the content of the activities and their temporal order was varied within each age group by manipulating type of encoding instruction given to the participant (i.e., either incidental, intentional for content, or intentional for both content and temporal order). Participants' recall, recognition, and temporal memory proficiency for the activities was then evaluated. The results revealed that both content memory and temporal order memory for the performed activities were enhanced by intentional encoding strategies. Young adults performed better on the temporal ordering task than young-old adults, with temporal memory proficiency continuing to show further decline in the old-old group. In contrast, content recall and recognition abilities were impaired only in the old-old group. The results suggest that strategic encoding processes can enhance memory for performed activities, and that age-related deficits in temporal order efficiency may occur earlier than those involved in memory for the content of performed activities.     

Use of gesture sequences in captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) play

This study examined the use of sensory modalities relative to a partner’s behavior in gesture sequences during captive chimpanzee play at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute. We hypothesized that chimpanzees would use visual gestures toward attentive recipients and auditory/tactile gestures toward inattentive recipients. We also hypothesized that gesture sequences would be more prevalent toward unresponsive rather than responsive recipients. The chimpanzees used significantly more auditory/tactile rather than visual gestures first in sequences with both attentive and inattentive recipients. They rarely used visual gestures toward inattentive recipients. Auditory/tactile gestures were effective with and used with both attentive and inattentive recipients. Recipients responded significantly more to single gestures than to first gestures in sequences. Sequences often indicated that recipients did not respond to initial gestures, whereas effective single gestures made more gestures unnecessary. The chimpanzees thus gestured appropriately relative to a recipient’s behavior and modified their interactions according to contextual social cues.     

Centrality Preferences in Choices Among Similar Options

Three explanations were explored for the finding that people prefer the middle option rather than the extremes when choosing from an array of similar options. In Study 1, 68% chose the middle item from a set of three highlighters and three surveys, whereas 32% chose an item from either end, p < .0001. In Study 2, 71% selected the middle chair from a row of three chairs that were either all empty, or had a backpack occupying either one of the two end chairs, p < .0001. These results support a minimal mental effort principle rather than a preference for symmetry rule. In Study 3, 54.2% recalled more graphic items from the center poster of a 3-poster collage, whereas 31.3% and 14.5% recalled more items from the left and right posters, respectively, p < .004. These findings lend additional support to a focus of attention explanation.     

Innovation in Technology-Aided Psychotherapy Through Human Factors/Ergonomics: Toward a Collaborative Approach

Technologies are being used increasingly to aid psychotherapy and are becoming an integral part of mental health treatment. Although prior studies compared technology-aided psychotherapy (TAP) to traditional treatments, there are insufficient studies of the impact that specific design parameters and use of the technologies may have on the client and therapist, and treatment outcomes. This requires an understanding of human–technology interaction, which is the focus of the field of Human Factors and Ergonomics (HF/E). The goal of this article is to raise awareness of the importance of the human–technology interaction in TAP, and to foster collaborations between psychotherapists and HF/E professionals. Toward these aims, this article examines the implications of findings in HF/E for the use of technologies (videoconferencing, text-based communication, and virtual environments) in psychotherapy. It is suggested that the manner in which technologies are designed and used may have important effects on the therapeutic alliance and treatment outcomes, and in some cases (side effects of virtual reality) the health and safety of the client. Future research should examine effects of specific design factors on treatment including variables such as the visibility of gestures and degree of eye contact during videoconferencing, response delays during text-messaging, and presence and adverse effects when using virtual environments. Studies that compare TAP to traditional methods should report as much detail as possible about the human–technology interaction. It is essential that psychotherapists and HF/E professionals conduct research collaboratively to develop effective and innovative technologies and, ultimately, design principles for TAP.     

The Relationship Between Cumulative Risk and Promotive Factors and Violent Behavior Among Urban Adolescents

Resiliency theory posits that some youth exposed to risk factors do not develop negative behaviors due to the influence of promotive factors. This study examines the effects of cumulative risk and promotive factors on adolescent violent behavior and tests two models of resilience—the compensatory model and the protective model—in a sample of adolescent patients (14–18 years old; n = 726) presenting to an urban emergency department who report violent behavior. Cumulative measures of risk and promotive factors consist of individual characteristics and peer, family, and community influences. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to test the two models of resilience (using cumulative measures of risk and promotive factors) for violent behavior within a sample of youth reporting violent behavior. Higher cumulative risk was associated with higher levels of violent behavior. Higher levels of promotive factors were associated with lower levels of violent behavior and moderated the association between risk and violent behaviors. Our results support the risk-protective model of resiliency and suggest that promotive factors can help reduce the burden of cumulative risk for youth violence.     

the counterproductivity of incarcerating female street prostitutes

In depth interviews with incarcerated female street prostitutes provide evidence that ''get tough'' policies are often counter?productive. For example, arresting prostitutes increases the level of violence both against these women and by them. Rehabilitation programs based on the lives and experiences of street prostitutes that will provide a path into legal employment need to be developed.     

Researching a client's experience of preconceptions of therapy - A discourse analysis

This paper uses discourse analysis to look at clients' preconceptions of therapy, through the presentation of a case study. Further findings suggest that discourse analysis may be a useful approach to helping psychotherapists and counsellors as part of their practice.     

组织分割供给与工作情绪衰竭的关系:工作心理脱离和工作→非工作冲突的中介作用*

采用问卷调查法,对271名企业管理人员进行调查,探讨了组织分割供给与工作情绪衰竭的关系,以及工作心理脱离和工作→非工作冲突在其中的中介作用。结构方程模型分析表明:(1)组织分割供给不仅可以通过工作→非工作冲突的中介作用负向影响工作情绪衰竭;(2)还可以通过依次影响工作心理脱离和工作→非工作冲突进而负向影响工作情绪衰竭。因此,组织分割供给对个体的非工作角色和工作角色均有积极作用。     

Tunable wave-vector filtering in a two-dimensional electron gas modulated by magnetic barriers and δ-doping

We report a theoretical investigation on the control of wave-vector filtering (WVF) in a two-dimensional electron gas modulated by realistic magnetic barriers and δ-doping, which can be experimentally realised by depositing a ferromagnetic stripe on the surface of a GaAs/Al_xGa_1?xAs heterostructure and using atomic layer doping. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that a sizeable WVF effect still exists even if δ-doping is introduced into the device. Numerical calculation reveals that the WVF efficiency is related closely to the δ-doping. Thus, the WVF effect in a magnetic nanostructure can be conveniently manipulated by properly adjusting the weight and/or the position of the δ-doping, giving rise to a tunable momentum filter for nanoelectronics applications.