Can skilled performers readily change technique? An example, conventional to wave action breaststroke

There has been a paucity of research that has investigated whether skilled performers of a complex sports skill can readily change their technique. This study was designed to investigate whether swimmers skilled in the conventional breaststroke technique could adjust readily to the wave action technique. Nine masters swimmers with well established and stable movement patterns for the conventional technique were coached in the wave action breaststroke technique. The swimmers were videotaped from the side during maximum speed trials of the conventional breaststroke technique before coaching and the wave action technique after ten 45-minute coaching sessions. The amplitude and phase of the waveforms comprising the vertical displacements of the body parts were determined by Fourier analysis. In response to the coaching, the amplitude of the fundamental frequency of the vertex of the head, shoulders, hips, and knees increased significantly (p < 0.01). The percentage of power contained in the fundamental frequency of the shoulder and hip vertical displacements also increased significantly (p < 0.01). All subjects changed the relative phase of the fundamental frequencies of the vertex, shoulder, and hip vertical displacements. It was concluded that in this complex skill, major changes to the low frequency waveforms comprising the motion were achieved readily.     

Testing Two Theoretical Explanations for the Attraction-Enhancing Effects of Self-Disclosure

The study investigated the differential ability of similarity theory and social exchange theory to predict the effects of self-disclosure in a counseling versus a friendship encounter The participants were 80 undergraduates. A 2 (counseling or friendship) × 2 (positive or negative disclosure) × 2 (relevant or irrelevant disclosure) design was used in which participants rated the videotaped self-disclosure of an individual in an initial dyadic encounter. Unequivocal support was not obtained for either of the theories, but relationship context (counselor vs. peer) influenced the effects of disclosure as measured on counselor-peer and relationship characteristics. A unique feature of the study was the use of the Client Reactions System (CRS) to measure participants' immediate reactions to self-disclosure. The CRS demonstrated both relationship context and valence of disclosure (positive or negative) effects.     

Graphics in written directions: Appreciated by readers but not writers

This series of studies investigated the ability of literate adults to exploit communications options that are available to writers but have no counterpart in speech. Specifically it examined people's use of sketches when giving written directions to help a stranger cross town. When writing an informal letter to a friend most directions were given in prose paragraph style (Experiment 1). Almost no-one included a sketch, even if given a street map as an aid. Yet most subjects could draw adequate sketch maps (Experiment 2), and everyone said yes when asked whether they would include a sketch in a letter. So the previous choices were not constrained either by graphic skill or by judgements concerning the appropriateness of a sketch, When people were asked to 'design' the back page of a leaflet they still did not include a sketch (Experiment 3). Experiment 4 showed that any bias in the instructions was towards rather than against the use of sketches. The need to generate the sketch was removed in Experiment 5 where subjects composed the leaflet page from pre-formed sections that included alternative routes in both words and diagrams. Nearly all subjects now included a sketch in their directions. In case subjects previously, in haste, had not considered the possibility of including a sketch map, they were made aware of the drawing option by rating the usability of route information in a variety of communication styles immediately before writing their own directions (Experiment 6). People rated directions that included diagrams as significantly more usable, but still most subjects did not include a sketch in the directions they gave. So the communication styles that readers recognized as successful were not determining their choices as writers. It is suggested that, when giving written directions, inexperienced writers rely too heavily on how they would respond as speakers.     

Counseling applications of RET in a Chinese cultural context

To explore the potential of Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) with clients of Chinese background, a brief review is conducted with respect to parallels between RET philosophy and some key components of Chinese culture and ways in which Chinese think. Arguments are advanced as to why RET is particularly suitable for use within a Chinese cultural context. Issues involved in using RET with Chinese clients are addressed including the appreciation many Chinese have for the logical and rational aspects of RET, the most appropriate type of client-counselor relationship to facilitate RET therapeutic progress, appropriate ways to dispute, and some cautionary words on the use of “emotive methods”. Areas where the RET counselor needs to be particularly sensitive to the cultural background of the client are highlighted. Charles P. Chen holds a master's degree in educational counseling and is currently a Ph.D. student and instructor in the Department of Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. His interests include cross-cultural and multi-cultural counseling, career counseling, and group counseling.     

MOTHERS' ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION DURING PREGNANCY:

Abstract— Fourteen-year-old adolescents' behavior on a spatial-visual reasoning task was associated with self-report of their mothers' alcohol consumption during pregnancy, IS years earlier The task was arranged so that it was possible to evaluate the examinees' tendency to respond rapidly and less accurately, or slowly and more accurately The greater the mother's reported drinking, the faster and less accurately the adolescent responded The decrement in visual-spatial reasoning related to alcohol appears to be linked to a tendency toward impulsive responding     

PREVENTION OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN SCHOOLCHILDREN:

Abstract— After teaching cognitive and social-problem-solving techniques designed to prevent depressive symptoms, we followed 69 fifth- and sixth-grade children at risk for depression for 2 years. We compared these children with 49 children in a matched no-treatment control group The prevention group re- ported fewer depressive symptoms through the 2-year follow-up, and moderate to severe symptoms were reduced by half. Surprisingly, the effects of the prevention program grew larger after the program was over. We suggest that psychological immunization against depression can occur by leaching cognitive and social skills to children as they enter puberty