The effects of reinforcer magnitude on timing in rats

The relation between reinforcer magnitude and timing behavior was studied using a peak procedure. Four rats received multiple consecutive sessions with both low and high levels of brain stimulation reward (BSR). Rats paused longer and had later start times during sessions when their responses were reinforced with low-magnitude BSR. When estimated by a symmetric Gaussian function, peak times also were earlier; when estimated by a better-fitting asymmetric Gaussian function or by analyzing individual trials, however, these peak-time changes were determined to reflect a mixture of large effects of BSR on start times and no effect on stop times. These results pose a significant dilemma for three major theories of timing (SET, MTS, and BeT), which all predict no effects for chronic manipulations of reinforcer magnitude. We conclude that increased reinforcer magnitude influences timing in two ways: through larger immediate after-effects that delay responding and through anticipatory effects that elicit earlier responding.     

The Integration of Body Movement and Attention in Young Infants

The normal development of adaptive behavior in humans depends on the integration of visual attention and body movement, yet little is known about the initial state of movement-attention coupling at the beginning of postnatal life. We studied 1- and 3-month-old infants during extended periods of visual exploration and found that spontaneous shifts of gaze are preceded by rapid changes in general body movement. The results reveal a tight link between motor activation and overt attention on a time scale of seconds or less. This link undergoes substantial developmental change in the first few weeks after birth. During that time, phasic motor activation may play a key role in visual exploration by helping to unlock gaze when the environment is unchanging.     

RECONFIRMATION OF THE SHORT-TERM STORAGE CONCEPT

Abstract— Recent research questions the existence of a short-term storage mechanism capable of holding limited information temporarily Specifically, serial-recall results with a through-list distractor (TLD) procedure, in which a distracting task is interposed between list Items as well as between the list and recall period, generally resemble the results of immediate-recall procedures The present study, however, reconfirms the utility of short-term storage by demonstrating an important difference between immediate and TLD recall A word-length effect, or advantage for lists of shorter words (which minimize short-term forgetting during spoken recall), did not occur with a TLD procedure.     

Implications of human genome research: Impact on graduate education in genetic counseling

A conference of genetic counseling and clinical nurse specialist graduate program directors was hosted by the National Society of Genetic Counselors and funded by the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications Program of the National Center for Human Genome Research in June 1992. One aspect of the conference addressed implications of the Human Genome Initiative for graduate education in genetic counseling. Within this paper, the topics of human variation and diversity, genetic discrimination, issues in non-directiveness, and genetic screening and policy development are reviewed and recommendations made for graduate curricula development and enhancement. In addition, suggestions are included for practicing genetic counselors.     

Description of a Behavioral Intervention to Reduce Substance Use and Related Risk and Increase Positive Parenting among Urban Mothers with Alcohol and Other Drug Problems

The abuse of alcohol and other substances by mothers raising adolescent children has serious adverse effects on family functioning and youth outcomes, and on mothers’ own health and adaptation. Mothers who are also HIV-infected face additional challenges. In the present report, we describe a multi-session intervention conducted in individual sessions for mothers with alcohol and other substance use problems who are raising adolescent children. We outline the primary components of the intervention and include case studies and examples of exercises and tools. We found that engagement with the intervention and high rates of attendance were facilitated by tapping into mothers’ desires to improve their relationships with their adolescent children, the use of a harm reduction approach toward substance use, and intensive outreach. We also discuss lessons learned in the course of implementing and evaluating the intervention.     

Perceived stigma,self-blame,and adjustment among lung,breast and prostate cancer patients

People who suffer from disease have often been stigmatised. The internalisation of stigma leads to the experience of self-blame. The relationship among stigma, self-blame and adjustment was framed with two theoretical perspectives: the looking-glass self and learned helplessness models. These models were studied in 96 lung, 30 breast and 46 prostate cancer patients. Consistent with the looking-glass-self model, we predicted that perceived stigma and self-blame would be associated with poorer psychological adjustment; the data supported these hypotheses. Consistent with the learned helplessness model, we predicted that self-blame would mediate the link between perceived stigma and psychological adjustment; data supported these hypotheses. The mediation model explained a greater percentage of the variance in adjustment in the lung cancer sample compared to the breast and prostate cancer sample. Participants who reported internal causal attributions reported poorer psychological adjustment. Lung cancer patients were more likely than breast or prostate cancer patients to report internal causal attributions for their cancer. Future research and cancer care are discussed in light of these findings.     

Guidance counselling as a whole school responsibility in the Irish post primary sector

ABSTRACT

This paper will deliberate upon the relevance of guidance counselling as a ‘whole school’ responsibility in the context of recent policy and practice changes in the Irish post primary sector since the Government of Ireland Budget 2012. Pertinent issues including the complexities of delivering a whole school approach to guidance counselling during a period of resource rationalisation will be addressed through the findings from recent case study research [Hearne, L., Geary, T., & Martin, N. (2016). A single case study of a whole school approach to guidance counselling in an Irish post-primary school; Case report. Retrieved from University of Limerick website: http://www.ul.ie/soedu/node/1481]. A single explanatory case study methodology investigated the complex phenomenon and interventions of whole school guidance counselling in a mixed gender school in the context of increasing demands for evidence-based data and methodological sophistication in lifelong guidance [European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network. (2015a). The evidence base on lifelong guidance; A guide to key findings for effective policy and practice, extended summary. Jyväskylä: Kariteam; Hearne, L. (2009). Towards an understanding of the measurement of individual progression in adult guidance (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford; Stake, R. E. (2004). Standards-based & responsive evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; Yin, R. K. (2014). Case study research (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage].     

Effect of Identifiability,Rating Audience,and Conscientiousness on Rating Level

This paper investigated three factors, two related to accountability and one an individual difference factor, which may influence rating level: (1) identifiability, (2) to whom one feels accountable (audience), and (3) conscientiousness. In study 1, results from students who rated their instructors indicated that not only did raters relatively high in conscientiousness report feeling more accountability but also that identifiability and conscientiousness interacted in predicting rating level. Raters relatively low in conscientiousness provided higher ratings when identified but raters relatively high in conscientious did not provide higher ratings. Rating audience did not influence rating level. Study 2 replicated the findings from study 1: Low conscientious raters assigned higher ratings when identified than when anonymous but high conscientious raters did not assign higher ratings when identified. Implications are discussed.     

Unexplained chest pain: a review of psychological conceptualizations and treatment efficacy

This review critically considers psychological theories and models used to understand unexplained chest pain, and efficacy of treatment strategies. It discusses the strengths and limitations of current perspectives, and highlights implications for future research and interventions. A comprehensive range of literature examining unexplained chest pain, and published over the last three decades, was thus reviewed finding that, although unexplained chest pain has been examined as a psychological phenomenon for over 100 years, explanatory models have emerged only in the last two decades. Neither psychophysiological nor psychodynamic models have been significantly advanced. Only cognitive-behavioural models have been explicitly derived to explain and manage the condition, and require further refinement to address conceptual and methodological limitations. Studies assessing treatment efficacy suggest cognitive-behavioural therapy as a first-line therapy, but have failed to establish whether the approach is acceptable and effective in routine care. Comprehensive psychological understanding of unexplained chest pain, and its management, is therefore developing but is far from complete. Cognitive-behavioural interventions show promise but are likely to be enhanced by greater theoretical clarity and understanding of resistance to their implementation.