A tutoring package to teach pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese characters

We examined the effects of a tutoring package (verbal modeling, prompts, and contingent praise/ Chinese conversations with the tutor) on the performance of a college student's Mandarin Chinese pronunciation. The effects of the tutoring package were analyzed using a multiple baseline design across two sets of 50 Chinese characters. The tutoring package produced improvement in the student's correct pronunciation of Chinese characters from 48% (pretutoring) to 90% (posttutoring). Results suggested that the tutoring package produced mastery pronunciation of targeted Mandarin Chinese vocalizations by a nonnative speaker.     

Crossed categorization beyond the two-group model

Four studies examined processing of in-group and out-group information with stimuli that are more complex than those used in previous crossed categorization studies. A diverse set of predictions is generated by previous theoretical work to account for how participants will integrate information stemming from multiple group memberships. Heuristic, threshold-based processing of information was supported over algebraic processing. Participants appeared to divide stimuli into "in-grouplike" and "out-grouplike" metacategories. However, the threshold at which this distinction was made, and whether it was based on in-group favoritism or out-group derogation, was influenced by the nature of the situation and the task participants performed. Advantages of crossed categorization research that moves beyond the traditional two-group model are discussed.     

Gender Differences in Video Game Characters’ Roles, Appearances, and Attire as Portrayed in Video Game Magazines

Video game characters have the potential to shape players’ perceptions of gender roles. Through social comparison processes, players learn societal expectations of appearances, behaviors and roles. Forty-nine articles were coded from current U.S. gaming magazines, resulting in 115 coded characters. This content analysis of video game magazine articles investigated how characters are portrayed, focusing on gender differences. Males were more likely to be heroes and main characters, use more weapons, have more abilities, and were more muscular and powerful. Females were more often supplemental characters, more attractive, sexy, and innocent, and also wore more revealing clothing. Understanding these video game messages is an important first step in understanding the effects games and magazines may have on behavior and attitudes.     

Number tags applied by rats to reinforcers are general and exert powerful control over responding

Rats are capable of employing the number of successively presented food reinforcers in a runway as a discriminative cue. Trained, for example, under a series in which three food-reinforced trials precede a non-reinforced trial (RRRN), rats have run fast to R, R, and R, slowly to N. Such numerical discriminations have been shown to be general to some extent, being maintained in connection with either novel reinforcers suddenly introduced, or various alterations of the old series of reinforcers. In the two investigations reported here, the four-event series R'RRN was employed, R' and R being qualitatively different reinforcers. On being shifted to more severe alterations of this series than heretofore, the previously established numerical discrimination was maintained, indicating that the number tags rats apply to reinforcing events are to a considerable extent general. In Experiment 1 rats trained under the two series R'RRN and RRN maintained the numerical discrimination when shifted to the series R'RN and NR'RN, despite the fact that the specific events R'R that signalled R in original training (R'RRN series) now signalled N in the shift or transfer phase. In Experiment 2 rats trained under R'RRN and RRN maintained the numerical discrimination on being shifted to the series NRRRN and RRRN (count to three), despite the fact that they had previously received the RRN series (count to two). Various other findings obtained here are consistent with the view that the rat's number tags are to a considerable extent general.     

Presuicide attempt communications between parasuicides and consulted caregivers.

A high percentage of parasuicides visit professional caregivers prior to the attempted suicide. The content or outcome of these consultations is unknown. We interviewed hospitalized attempters and the professional caregivers they identified as having been consulted prior to their attempts. About half of these patients directly disclosed suicidal symptoms or intentions, especially to mental health professionals. These professionals more often inquired about suicidal ideations than did nonpsychiatric physicians. However, few caregivers noted suicidal thinking or probed suicidal symptoms. The data suggest that professional caregivers and especially nonpsychiatric physicians should be more sensitive and responsive to the signs and symptoms of suicidality.