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Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science -     

Frequency distribution of interresponse times during VI and VR reinforcement

A detailed analysis was made of the interresponse times (IRTs) of two rats under both a VI 40-sec and a VR 15-sec schedule. Except for the latency of the first response after a reinforcement, the mean IRTs of all further responses differed little. Similarly, the frequency distributions of the successive IRTs did not vary greatly, but were of no simple form. Sequential dependencies between successive IRTs were small, never accounting for more than 1% of the variance.     

Work behavior correlates of interviewer job compatibility

Forced-choice scales were developed to measure the compatibility between worker preferences for job characteristics and actual characteristics of the job for purposes of predicting turnover and performance. The data confirmed the construct and criterion-related validity of the compatibility scores, but also indicated that the relationship between compatibility and voluntary termination was moderated by employee characteristics. Discussion centers on the implications of these findings for future job compatibility scale development and the application of this methodology to work settings where relatively homogeneous subgroups of employees differ with respect to personal and work circumstances.The authors thank the Public Opinion Laboratory of Northern Illinois University for supporting this research and Paula Howard, Robin Bebel, Alan Nordwall, and Barbara Zaitzow for their administrative assistance on this project. We also thank Gregory Sekowski and T.R. Biddle for their assistance on various aspects of the project. Finally, we thank all of the participants of the study without whom this research would not have been possible.     

Computer use in psychology instruction

This paper presents the ways in which psychology departments are using microcomputers for instruction, the types of facilities that they are using, and the varieties of hardware that they employ. These data are related to other data reported over the past 10 years. In addition, a summary of the types of software currently available in all areas of psychology is presented, and areas in which there is a need for further software development are identified. The information reviewed in this paper was compiled from the current software listings available through COMPSYCH, as well as the results of a survey distributed to registered users of COMPSYCH who hold academic positions.     

The elderly and high technology medicine: A case for individualized,autonomous allocation

The issues involved in decision making about the aggressiveness of future medical care for older persons are explored. They are related to population trends, the heterogeneity of older persons and a variety of factors involved in individual preferences. Case studies are presented to illustrate these points, as well as a review of pertinent literature. The argument is offered that, considering these many factors, a system of flexible, individualized care by informed patient preference, is more rational than the rationing of technological services by age.     

Affective responses to seeing oneself for the first time on unedited videotape

Despite the growing popularity of watching oneself on videotape, little systematic research has been conducted determine viewers' affective responses to video replay. This study addresses the question: what affective responses do women have when they view themselves for the first time on unedited videotape, in comparison to their responses when they view a peer or nature scenes on videotape? Affective responses were measured in three ways: self-report, physiological, and behavioral. Subjects who viewed themselves reported more negative feelings and anxiety, and smiled more frequently than subjects who watched another person or nature scenes on video. Subjects with high private self-consciousness had higher mean arterial blood pressures when viewing themselves than did subjects with low private self-consciousness. Overall, the implications for seeing oneself on video point to potential embarrassment but generally moderate effects.     

Behavioral and Attitudinal Correlates of Masculinity: A National Survey of Male Counselors

In this study the authors investigated the relationship between the Male Role Norm Scales (MRNS; Thompson & Pleck, 1987) and gender-related attitudes and behaviors in a sample of 367 male counselors drawn from American Counseling Association (ACA), formerly the American Association for Counseling and Development (AACD), members. Results indicated that this group of men did not, in general, endorse traditional male roles as measured by the MRNS. When a degree of affiliation with these roles was found, however, it was predictive of violence proneness, intimacy style, and degree of perceived similarity to father. Implications for training and counseling are discussed.