BIS,BAS, and response conflict: Testing predictions of the revised reinforcement sensitivity theory

Gray’s (1970) reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) was recently updated (Gray & McNaughton, 2000), but the changes have not received extensive empirical validation. The study tests three novel predictions of the revised RST. First, the behavioral activation system (BAS) is expected to be sensitive to both conditioned and unconditioned incentives. Second, the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) is expected to be sensitive to conflicting incentives such as between unconditioned and conditioned stimuli, and not to avoidance responses or aversive stimuli alone. Third, during approach-avoidance conflicts only, BAS is expected to moderate BIS responses to conflict such that individuals with high BAS show the strongest effect of BIS. In order to test these hypotheses, we developed a novel incentive task that crosses approach/avoidance conditioned responses to appetitive/aversive unconditioned stimuli. Conflict between unconditioned and conditioned stimuli occurred on the approach-aversive and avoid-appetitive trials. Results confirm the predictions and provide support for the revised RST.     

Coming out discourses of Asian American lesbians

The authors examined the accounts of a small group of Asian American lesbians regarding their experiences forming their sexual identities. Discourse analysis and the social constructionist approach were applied to the subjects’ accounts of their coming out. Focus group subjects’ discussions were transcribed in order to depict the practices they employed to render their experiences meaningful to themselves and others. There was an internal dialectical process between the subjects’ subjective and objective reality, during which they came to terms with their subjective identity, or came out to themselves. There was also an external dialectical process between the subjects and society, during which they negotiated with their objective world for their subjective identity, or came out to the public in general and to their families in particular. The research suggests that in these dialectical processes, Asian cultural values and beliefs served as the means through which the conflict between the subjects’ interiority and their social networks was reconciled. The desire to reabsorb the subjects served to motivate the family members to work collaboratively to overcome cultural barriers to acceptance. The authors are grateful for the help of Robert Dominguez and all the participants who made the study possible.     

Relating locus of control to Machiavellianism and managerial achievement

Rotter's Locus of Control Scale, Christie and Geis' Mach IV Scale, and Fineman's Work Preference Questionnaire were administered to a sample of 60 retail specialty store managers. While there were no significant correlations between locus of control and managerial achievement, there were significant correlations between locus of control and Machiavellianism for the over-all sample and for men but not for women. In addition, men possessed higher mean internal-control orientation than women.     

Outcome of psychoanalytically oriented group psychotherapy

A study of 100 consecutive persons who terminated, once a week, psychoanalytically oriented group psychotherapy shows that it is an effective treatment for neurotic persons with good ego strength who remain in therapy a year or longer. Analytically oriented group therapy was less effective in treating severely ego-impaired persons, and group members of all levels of ego strength often required augmentation of their group therapy by individual sessions and psychotropic medications. Early dropouts (less than 30 sessions) seemed related to lack of motivation and poor fit with the group. Later dropouts (sessions 30–60) seemed related to low ego strength.     

The effect of scale modifications on the factorial dimensions and reliability of super's work values inventory

On the basis of previous research findings, 32 new items were added to Super's Work Values Inventory (WVI) and the resulting 77 item instrument was administered to 611 high school sophmores. Guttman's rank-reduction procedure and separate image analyses were employed to examine empirically the effects of additional items on hypothesized item groupings, scale intercorrelations, factorial dimensions, and scale internal consistency reliabilities. Analyses supported the addition of items to the WVI. It was found that the item groupings on the modified instrument were reasonable; the scale intercorrelations and factorial dimensions of both versions were highly comparable; the addition of items had increased the scale internal consistency reliabilities. Comments were made regarding counselors' use of the WVI.     

Meaningful pastoral intimacy

Closeness, warmth, perhaps touching, and some understanding are characteristic of interpersonal relationships. However, there are dangers of intrusion and insensitivity when persons invite pastors to become intimate. Superficial and false intimacy may substitute for closeness. Pastoral care should transcend the primitive holy man role, which is cold because the holy is desexualized. Intimacy is a closeness between persons in areas we tend to guard as personal.He is the author ofThe Power to Bless andRaise the Dead.     

Velocity gradients and relative depth perception

The effectiveness of velocity gradients in providing relative depth information was assessed using random dot patterns translating horizontally. The gradients simulated two planes meeting at a horizontal line at the center, and subjects judged whether the center was the nearest or farthest part of the display. Accuracy increased with maximum dot speed, exceeding 90% in conditions combining the highest speed (10.4^o/sec) and longer of two display durations (10 sec) with unrestricted fixation. Separate experiments examined a rotational component perceived in the motion of the planes and the latency in reporting a rigid organization of the displays. Possible reasons for the chance accuracy found by Farber and McConkie (1979) and alternative explanations of the effect of maximum dot speed on accuracy are discussed. A model is presented that accounts for the effects of dot speed and display duration on the accuracy of relative depth judgments.     

The use of occlusion to resolve ambiguity in parallel projections

Previous research has shown that the three-dimensional structure of an object usually can be perceived when viewing a parallel projection of the object rotating in depth. Accurate judgments of direction of rotation, however, have been found only with polar projections. The present study demonstrated that accurate direction judgments can occur with parallel projections if occlusion is included in the displays. The stimuli were parallel projections of pentagonal texture elements on the surface of a rotating sphere. In one condition, the elements were occluded as they rounded the edge of an opaque sphere. In another condition, elements on the far surface of a transparent sphere were occluded by elements on the near surface. Accuracy of direction judgments was consistently high in the first condition and increased monotonically with element size in the second condition, from chance to over 80% correct. The relationship of these results to the general issue of perceptually combining structure in depth information from one source with relative distance information from another source is discussed.     

Managerial aspirations of high school seniors: A comparison of males and females

Empirical research in the past has indicated that young people are generally not oriented toward managerial careers and that females are less so than are males. However, the greater career orientation of today's students, recent changes in societal values, persistent attempts by women to obtain equality, and federal legislation expressly forbidding discrimination may have changed this situation by the late 1970s. A survey of 2112 high school seniors in the state of Alabama was conducted to investigate these issues. Results indicate that few high school seniors aspire to management careers and that sex continues to be a major discriminator. The “male managerial model” continues to be reinforced by the values and attitudes of society as reflected in its young people.