Delayed stimulus control: recall for single and relational stimuli.

In a discrete-trial symbolic matching-to-sample procedure, pigeons' left-key responses were reinforced following presentation of one center-key sample, and right-key responses were reinforced following presentation of another. Recallability was measured by the difference between log ratios of left to right responses following each sample. In Experiment 1, samples were successively presented same or different wavelengths in the relational discrimination, or individual wavelengths in the single discrimination. The rate at which recallability decreased with increasing delay since sample presentation was the same for single and relational discriminations, but the initial level of performance differed, indicating that the relational discrimination was more difficult. In Experiment 2, recall functions for easy and difficult discriminations between individual wavelengths also differed in levels of initial performance but not in rate of decrement of recallability over time. Recall for stimuli differing in complexity may therefore reflect differences in discrimination difficulty.     

EFFECTS OF SELF-RECORDING ON ATTENDANCE AND PERFORMANCE IN A COMPETITIVE SWIMMING TRAINING ENVIRONMENT

Swimmers' attendance at training and work rates were described by their coaches as being poor and irregular. Reinforcement contingencies were developed to remedy these unsatisfactory conditions. Two experiments were conducted. A multiple baseline design verified the effects of publicly marking attendance at practice as a sufficient solution for reducing absenteeism, tardiness, and leaving early. Follow-up analyses showed this contingency to have lasting effects. In the second experiment, a reversal design was used to assess the effects of employing program boards as a means of increasing work output during practice. Work rates in eight selected swimmers were elevated by an average of 27.1% when the boards were instituted. Follow-up evaluations showed that the use of the program boards had lasting effects. Publicly checking the completion of each training unit of work changed the nature of the swimming environment to produce a more productive use of time. The role of the coach was subsequently changed as less time was spent in directing and supervising behaviors.     

ELIMINATION OF BEDTIME THUMBSUCKING IN HOME SETTINGS THROUGH CONTINGENT READING1

Reading stories at bedtime was made contingent upon nonthumbsucking for girls 3, 6, and 8 yr old. According to their mothers, all had been persistent thumbsuckers since infancy. Two had accompanying dental disorders. During baseline conditions, continuous noncontingent reading occurred. During experimental conditions, reading terminated on each occasion thumbsucking was observed and resumed immediately when thumbsucking ceased. High percentages of thumbsucking occurred during baseline conditions when reading was noncontingent, and low percentages occurred during experimental conditions when reading was contingent. Bedtime thumbsucking was eliminated for all three girls.     

Sex and achievement domain: Cognitive patterns of success and failure

Subjects (N=439) were asked to write an account of an achievement of failure, and to describe it in terms of locus of standards (internal-external), conceptual focus (process-impact), and initial expectations for success (or failure). Additionally, accounts were classified on the basis of achievement domain (personal, interpersonal, mastery). Analyses of variance [2 (sex)×3 (domain)] for each cognitive measure revealed few sex differences. However, cognitive responses did vary as a function of achievement domain. Main effects for domain were observed under success instructions for locus of control (p<.0002) and under failure instructions for locus of control (p<.05), conceptual focus (p<.05), and expectations (p<.06). Interaction effects of sex and achievement domain were observed on locus of standards for success (p<.0002) and initial expectations preceding failure (p<.025), indicating that women were more responsive to domain differences than were men. Discriminant analyses indicated that cognitions were more readily patterned in terms of achievement domain than sex. Elaboration and incorporation of the concept of domain in cognitive models of achievement is suggested.     

Experience with songs in adulthood reduces song-induced gene expression in songbird auditory forebrain

Male songbirds learn to produce song within a limited phase early in life; however they continue to learn to recognize songs in adulthood. Studies looking at Zenk activation after exposure to songs learned early in life for song production and songs learned in adulthood show opposite patterns of activation, suggesting distinct neural mechanisms may be involved in these two forms of learning. In this study, we look at IEG Zenk activation in auditory regions NCM and CMM of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to see whether recent exposure to song in adulthood leads to greater or decreased Zenk activation upon hearing that song versus a novel song. We found significantly lower activation in birds exposed to previously heard songs versus novel songs in vNCM but not dNCM, though further analysis suggest an overall trend in NCM. We found no significant difference in the amount of activation to previously heard songs vs. novel songs in CMM. These results support previous findings suggesting that activation is reduced to learned stimuli; we discuss possible implications of these findings in relation to song production learning early in life and song recognition learning in adulthood.     

The broad applicability of memory bias and its coexistence with the planning fallacy: reply to Griffin and Buehler (2005)

People chronically underestimate how long tasks will take. In their original article, the present authors (M. M. Roy, N. J. S. Christenfeld, & C. R. M. McKenzie, suggested a simple, broadly applicable explanation: Biased predictions result from biased memories. In their comment article, D. Griffin and R. Buehler suggested that in many domains in which this memory-bias account appears to out-predict their own account, theirs actually makes no prediction at all. However, the present authors did not suggest that only 1 theory is right but that theirs is consistent with data that prior theories, including their own, cannot explain. Ignoring memories of past tasks is not a complete explanation for the phenomenon if the memories people could consult are themselves biased. Nonetheless, underestimating future task duration is almost certainly multiply determined, and thus our account and theirs can coexist.     

A telemetric method for measuring and recording head rotations in human infants

A simple and reliable apparatus for recording directional head movements of infants is described. The technique permits unrestricted movement and avoids distress associated with mechanical head harnesses.     

Evaluating a treatment without extinction for elopement maintained by access to stereotypy

Elopement is a common and potentially dangerous form of problem behavior. Results of a functional analysis found that the elopement of a child with autism was maintained by access to stereotypy in the form of door play. We implemented functional communication training and contingency-based delays dependent on the absence of elopement and increased the amount of time the participant waited prior to engaging in stereotypy. We also conducted treatment-extension probes, with the participant waiting up to 10 min without elopement.     

Denominational Differences in US Synagogues' Promotion of Youth Physical Activity Programming

Journal of Religion and Health - Less than 25% of US children 6–17 years of age are sufficiently active. Faith-based settings are one of the nine societal sectors tasked with promoting...