A modified version of the unique cue theory accounts for olfactory compound processing in honeybees

We investigated the capability of honeybees to discriminate between single odorants, binary olfactory mixtures, and ternary olfactory mixtures in olfactory conditioning of the proboscis extension reflex. In Experiment 1, three single odorants (A+, B+, and C+) and three binary mixtures of these odors (AB+, AC+, and BC+) were reinforced while the ternary compound, consisting of all three odors (ABC-), was nonreinforced. In Experiment 2, only one single odorant (A+) and one binary olfactory compound (BC+) were reinforced while the ternary compound (ABC-) consisting of the single odor and the binary compound was nonreinforced. We studied whether bees can solve these problems and whether the course of differentiation can be predicted by the unique cue theory, a modified unique cue theory, or Pearce's configural theory. Honeybees were not able to differentiate reinforced from nonreinforced stimuli in Experiment 1. However, summation to ABC observed at the beginning of training contradicts the predictions of Pearce's configural theory. In Experiment 2, differentiation between the single odorant A and the ternary compound developed more easily than between the binary compound BC and ABC. This pattern of differentiation is in line with a modified unique cue theory and Pearce's configural theory. Summation to ABC at the beginning of training, however, again was at odds with Pearce's configural theory. Thus, olfactory compound processing in honeybees can best be explained by a modified unique cue theory.     

The influence of sex and sex role orientation on sexual coercion

One hundred female and 77 male college students completed a questionnaire in which they indicated whether they had ever used physical or verbal coercive strategies to initiate sexual behavior with a partner, or had ever engaged in sexual behavior in response to a partner's coercive initiatives. Results showed that males are far more likely than females to initiate coerced sexual behavior and females are more likely to be victimized. In addition, masculine persons reported using coercive strategies more than other sex role orientation types. However, this was due principally to the fact that males were masculine types much more frequently than females. Therefore, sex (that is, being male or female) seems a more critical factor in determining, initiating, or responding to sexual coercion than sex role orientation.     

Secretarial and management students: Attitudes,attributes, and career choice considerations

Secretarial and management students were compared on characteristics that have differentiated between traditional and nontraditional career women. Fifty-five female secretarial students and 55 female management (bachelor of commerce) students completed the following measures: (a) the Work and Family Orientation Questionnaire (WOFO); (b) the Attitudes toward Women Scale (AWS); (c) the Powerful Others, Personal Control, and Chance Scales (I-E Scale); (d) the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ); and (e) a measure of career choice considerations. The groups differed on two aspects of the WOFO (competitiveness and desire to master difficult intellectual challenges), and on Personal Control, sex role orientation (PAQ), and career choice considerations. The results are discussed with respect to sex role socialization and the denigration of secretarial work.     

The role of rhythm in perceiving speech in noise: a comparison of percussionists,vocalists and non-musicians

The natural rhythms of speech help a listener follow what is being said, especially in noisy conditions. There is increasing evidence for links between rhythm abilities and language skills; however, the role of rhythm-related expertise in perceiving speech in noise is unknown. The present study assesses musical competence (rhythmic and melodic discrimination), speech-in-noise perception and auditory working memory in young adult percussionists, vocalists and non-musicians. Outcomes reveal that better ability to discriminate rhythms is associated with better sentence-in-noise (but not words-in-noise) perception across all participants. These outcomes suggest that sensitivity to rhythm helps a listener understand unfolding speech patterns in degraded listening conditions, and that observations of a “musician advantage” for speech-in-noise perception may be mediated in part by superior rhythm skills.     

Bilingual enhancements have no socioeconomic boundaries

To understand how socioeconomic status (SES) and bilingualism simultaneously operate on cognitive and sensory function, we examined executive control, language skills, and neural processing of sound in adolescents who differed in language experience (i.e. English monolingual or Spanish‐English bilingual) and level of maternal education (a proxy for SES). We hypothesized that experience communicating in two languages provides an enriched linguistic environment that can bolster neural precision in subcortical auditory processing which, in turn, enhances cognitive and linguistic function, regardless of the adolescent's socioeconomic standing. Consistent with this, we report that adolescent bilinguals of both low and high SES demonstrate more stable neural responses, stronger phonemic decoding skills, and heightened executive control, relative to their monolingual peers. These results support the argument that bilingualism can bolster cognitive and neural function in low‐SES children and suggest that strengthened neural response consistency provides a biological mechanism through which these enhancements occur.     

Adolescent Gang Membership and Differences in Ethnic Identity,Esteem, and Efficacy

Scholars have long recognized the impacts of gang membership on adolescents. While some have focused primarily on the negative effects, this seeks to understand the nuanced reasoning and results of joining a gang explicitly on the youth’s perceptions of self-esteem, efficacy, and identity. Using the longitudinal assessment of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program, propensity score matching was conducted on four attitudinal measures to determine whether positive outcomes were seen among adolescents reporting one-time gang involvement. Results indicate a positive effect on self-identity measures. Discussion of these findings illustrates the need for future research and policy implications.     

The eyes have it: Exposure times and saccadic movements in visual half-field experiments

Several tachistoscopic visual half-field experiments using exposure times in excess of 150 msec have been reported and arguments have been put forth justifying this procedure. An experiment was done investigating visual field accuracy under conditions where eye movement was allowed, following parafoveal exposure. Two control experiments were done to evaluate the viewing conditions. When eye movement is permitted, accuracy in both visual fields reaches 100%. It is concluded that visual field differences found with exposure times greater than 150 msec are due to the active cooperation of the subjects and not due to the justifications advanced by experimenters using long exposure times.     

Measuring depression in children: a multimethod assessment investigation

The present investigation examined measures for the assessment of depressive symptomatology in children, as well as two related constructs (self-esteem and anxiety). The sample consisted of 166 elementary school children from grades 3 through 6. Two self-report depression measures, the Children's Depression Inventory (Kovacs, 1979) and the Child Depression Scale (Reynolds, in press), as well as anxiety and self-esteem scales, were completed by the children. Parents (mothers and fathers) evaluated their children on the depression and anxiety scales from the Personality Inventory for Children (Wirt, Lachar, Klinedinst, & Seat, 1977), and teachers provided global ratings of depression and academic performance. The results support the reliability and validity of both self-report children depression measures. Data obtained on the parent report measure do not recommend its use at this time for assessing depression in children, while results on teachers' global ratings of depression provide some evidence that teachers may be a good source of information regarding depression in children.The authors gratefully acknowledge the generous assistance provided by Al Holmquist, principal of Mazomanie Elementary School, and James Clark, principal of Oregon Elementary School, and their teachers. This research was funded in part by a Spencer Foundation Grant to the first author, through the School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The writing of this article was facilitated by a Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation grant (135–1503) to the first author.