An integrated model for guiding the selection of treatment components for problem behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement

We evaluated the usefulness of 2 assessments to guide treatment selection for individuals whose prior functional analysis indicated that automatic reinforcement maintained their problem behavior. In the 1st assessment, we compared levels of problem behavior during a noncontingent play condition and an alone or ignore condition. In the 2nd, we assessed participants’ relative preferences for automatic reinforcement and social reinforcers in a concurrent‐operants arrangement. We used the results of these 2 assessments to assign 5 participants to a treatment based on noncontingent access to social reinforcers or to a treatment based on differential access to social reinforcers. We conducted monthly probes with the participants over 10 to 12 months to evaluate the effects of the treatment procedures. All participants showed reductions in problem behavior over this period.     

Covariates of Multiplicity of Risk Behavior Among Injecting Drug Users in Nepal

Drug abuse, needle sharing, and high-risk sexual behaviour are often compounded to increase the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. This paper analyzes covariates of multiplicity of risk behavior among injecting drug users (IDUs). Findings are based on data from 1471 IDUs following modified time-location cluster sampling across Nepal in 2010–2011. Among Nepalese IDUs, average duration of injecting drugs is 4.4 years with two-fifths initiating it before age 20. Alcohol use is common with two-fifths reporting its daily consumption. Needle sharing is quite prevalent especially among younger and alcoholic IDUs. Further, IDUs practicing needle sharing exhibit rampant multi-partner behavior. Condom use with non-commercial partners is almost 80 %, whereas with intimate partner it is 41 %. Coexistence of needle sharing and unprotected sex enhances STI prevalence (7 %), which is further pronounced among alcoholics (9 %). Working towards risk reduction for IDUs must deal with multiplicity of risk. Interventions should deal with covariates of risk, addressing youth, substance abuse and risky sexual behavior.     

A Correlational Study of Creativity,Happiness, Motivation,and Stress from Creative Pursuits

This study examined the relationship of creative capacity with happiness, affect, motivation, and stress from creative pursuits using a sample of 420 students. In addition, it tested whether a relationship existed between overall creative capacity and specific styles or approaches to creative expression. A composite creative capacity score was derived from four creative capacity measures. Creative capacity was not significantly correlated with happiness, but it correlated significantly with positive and negative affect scales and with their absolute sum. Creative capacity correlated highest with intrinsic motivation (IM) among all variables. Creative capacity and IM correlated similarly in direction and magnitude with creativity styles subscales of Belief in Unconscious Processes, Use of Techniques, and Use of Senses, and negative correlations with the Use of People and Final Product Orientation Subscales.     

Desire and Self-Representation: A Philosophical Reading of the Malayalam Novelette “Agnisakshi”

Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research - With the focus on the concepts of desire and self-representation, in this paper we present a philosophical analysis of the Malayalam novelette...     

Psychopathy and internalism

Do psychopaths make moral judgments but lack motivation? Or are psychopaths’ judgments are not genuinely moral? Both sides of this debate seem to assume either externalist or internalist criteria for the presence of moral judgment. However, if moral judgment is a natural kind, we can arrive at a theory-neutral criterion for moral judgment. A leading naturalistic criterion suggests that psychopaths have an impaired capacity for moral judgment; the capacity is neither fully present nor fully absent. Psychopaths are therefore not counterexamples to internalism. Nonetheless, internalism is empirically problematic because it is unable to explain psychopaths’ moral deficits.     

Risk perception and adoption of digital innovation in mobile stock trading

An increase in retail investors, trading platforms, and smartphones is facilitating digital transformation in stock trading. Investments in mobile-centered digitalization by trading firms are rapidly becoming a source of competitive advantage. Distinctive psychological aspects involving risks, make stock trading a unique individual decision-making behavior. The objective of the present research is to examine the determinants of retail investors' behavioral intentions (BI) for mobile stock trading (MoST). Across two studies using a mixed method approach we empirically test a framework comprising cognitive risk-mitigation factors, perceived risk (PR), perceived financial cost (PFC), and technology acceptance model (TAM) constructs. The results indicate information quality, privacy, and security protection to mitigate the risk perception involved in trading on mobile platforms. Further, we report the mediation of PR in the relationship between the cognitive risk-mitigating factors and BIs to adopt MoST. Moreover, we find PFC to moderate PR and the TAM constructs' relationship with BIs to adopt MoST. Our research has important theoretical contributions and managerial implications to understand digital adoption behavior by retail investors for MoST platforms.     

Defense Mechanisms in Mania,Bipolar Depression and Unipolar Depression

The present study compared the use of defense mechanisms in ten bipolar manic, ten bipolar depressed and ten unipolar depressed patients. The defense mechanisms were assessed by two methods: TAT stories scored by Defense Mechanism Manual and Defense Mechanism Rating Scale ratings of psychodynamic interviews. The severity of symptoms was assessed by Beck Depression Inventory for depressed patients and Young’s Manic Rating Scale for manic patients. Both bipolar manic and depressed groups used the defense mechanism of denial, borderline level defenses and immature defenses significantly more than the unipolar depression group. The manic group showed greater dependence on narcissistic level defenses as compared to the other two groups. Positive relationships were found between severity of manic symptoms and the defense mechanisms of denial as well as the narcissistic level defenses. The bipolar depression group also used more action level defenses as compared to the unipolar depression group. The unipolar depression group scored higher on the defense mechanism of identification and adaptive level defenses as compared to the manic group. A negative correlation was found between the severity of depressive symptoms for unipolar depression group and the defense mechanism of identification. The neurotic level defenses were used most frequently by unipolar depression group, followed by the bipolar depression group and manic group. Some of these findings are in consonance with the psychoanalytic understanding of mania and depression.     

Use of Prosocial Word Enhances the Processing of Language: Frequency Domain Analysis of Human EEG

Journal of Psycholinguistic Research - Use of prosocial language enhances human cooperation and harmony. Previous research has shown that talking about helping, sharing and giving to others creates...     

Complexities in Adjustment Patterns among the “Best and the Brightest”: Risk and Resilience in the Context of High Achieving Schools

Youth in high achieving schools (HAS) are at elevated risk for serious adjustment problems—including internalizing and externalizing symptoms and substance use—given unrelenting pressures to be “the best.” For resilience researchers, successful risk evasion in these high-pressure settings should, arguably, be defined in terms of the absence of serious symptoms plus behaviorally manifested integrity and altruism. Future interventions should target that which is the fundamental basis of resilience: Dependable, supportive relationships in everyday settings. These must be promoted between adults and children and among them, toward enhancing positive development among youth and families in these high stress environments.     

Exposure,Loss, and Support Predicting the Dimensions of Posttsunami Trauma

This study examined whether exposure, resource loss, and social support predicted the posttsunami trauma of PTSD, depression, negative affect, and physical health problems of the 2004 tsunami survivors. Four hundred sixteen survivors were interviewed in Tamil Nadu (India) 14 months posttsunami. Loss of life followed by loss of property and disaster exposure positively predicted the dimensions of trauma. Survivors having lower social status and income received less material and informational support than their equally affected counterparts, which furthered stress and distress. The survivors’ trauma can be arrested, minimizing the exposure and tangible resource loss, and improving the delivery of social support.