Evolution, Discovery, and Interpretations of Arthropod Mushroom Bodies

Mushroom bodies are prominent neuropils found in annelids and in all arthropod groups except crustaceans. First explicitly identified in 1850, the mushroom bodies differ in size and complexity between taxa, as well as between different castes of a single species of social insect. These differences led some early biologists to suggest that the mushroom bodies endow an arthropod with intelligence or the ability to execute voluntary actions, as opposed to innate behaviors. Recent physiological studies and mutant analyses have led to divergent interpretations. One interpretation is that the mushroom bodies conditionally relay to higher protocerebral centers information about sensory stimuli and the context in which they occur. Another interpretation is that they play a central role in learning and memory. Anatomical studies suggest that arthropod mushroom bodies are predominately associated with olfactory pathways except in phylogenetically basal insects. The prominent olfactory input to the mushroom body calyces in more recent insect orders is an acquired character. An overview of the history of research on the mushroom bodies, as well as comparative and evolutionary considerations, provides a conceptual framework for discussing the roles of these neuropils.     

Forensic interviews with preschool children: An analysis of extended interviews in Norway (2015–2017)

This study examined the quality of forensic interviews conducted by specially trained police officers in the Norwegian Barnahus between 2015 and 2017, using the sequential interview (SI) model, a Norwegian version of the extended interview model that has not previously been studied. Two hundred and seven interviews of alleged abused preschool children (3–7 years old) were selected from around the country. Developmental trends in interview dynamics and the pattern of disclosure were analyzed. Analyses showed that the interviews were long but involved few open-ended and many suggestive questions, especially in interviews with the youngest children who did not disclose. Because similar findings were obtained in previous studies of Norwegian interviews not using this model, the findings suggest that the SI interview model does little to improve the formal quality of forensic interviews with very young children, and show the need to develop new forms of interviewer training which are more intensive than those currently employed.     

Assessment of vocational maturity

A comparison is made between the Vocational Development Inventory and the Readiness for Career Planning scale when both were administered to the same sample. An analysis of covariance, with intelligence controlled for, indicated that both instruments show an over-all progression in vocational maturity at different grade levels, as well as differences between socioeconomic groups. A correlational matrix found vocational maturity scores from the two instruments to be significantly related.     

The use of matrix training to promote generative language with children with autism

Matrix training consists of planning instruction by arranging components of desired skills across 2 axes. After training with diagonal targets that each combine 2 unique skill components, responses to nondiagonal targets, consisting of novel combinations of the components, may emerge. A multiple‐probe design across participants was used to evaluate matrix training with known nouns (e.g., cat) and verbs (e.g., jumping) with 5 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Following baseline of Matrix 1 and a generalization matrix, diagonal targets within Matrix 1 were trained as noun–verb combinations (e.g., cat jumping). Posttests showed recombinative generalization within Matrix 1 and the generalization matrix for 4 participants. For 1 participant, diagonal training across multiple matrices was provided until correct responding was observed in the generalization matrix. Results support the use of matrix training to promote untrained responses for learners with ASD and offer a systematic way to evaluate the extent of generalization within and across matrices.     

Socioeconomic Adaptation of Post-1991 Eastern European Immigrants in the USA

Very little is known about new Eastern European immigrants in the USA, despite the rapid growth of this immigrant population. In particular, their socioeconomic adaptation to American life has not been systematically studied. Extending previous research on post-1965 immigration to the USA, this study examines the socioeconomic adaptation of post-1991 Eastern European immigrants by focusing on their educational attainment, occupational status, and income. We test our hypotheses using data from the pooled 2006–2010 American Community Surveys and ordinary least squares regression and logistic regression. The results show that new Eastern European immigrants tend to be highly educated and professional, but their income is surprisingly low. The results of regression models indicate that the individual characteristics of immigrants largely explain their socioeconomic adaptation. In addition, such conditions in the countries of origin as gross domestic product and political and personal freedom also influence their socioeconomic performance to some extent. The implications of findings are discussed.     

The Launching and Ensnaring Effects of Construing a Traumatic Event as Central to One's Identity and Life Story

Construing a traumatic event as central to one's life story and identity is associated with posttraumatic stress. The longitudinal relationship between centrality of event and trajectories of posttraumatic stress was examined. Data from ministerial employees were collected 10 months, 2 years, and 3 years after the 2011 Oslo bombing (N = 259). Using structural equation modeling, the launch and the snare hypotheses were tested. Support for the launch hypothesis was found; higher levels of event centrality 10 months after the attack were associated with higher levels of posttraumatic stress across time. Support for the snare hypothesis was also found; higher levels of centrality 10 months and 2 years after the bombing were related to higher levels of posttraumatic stress, beyond what could be anticipated based on the individual's general trajectory. This suggests that event centrality can influence the overall trajectory, and may also have additional time‐specific effects on posttraumatic stress.Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.