BehSys Anal: An artificially intelligent hypermedia resource library for descriptive behavioral research

The advancement of computer technologies, particularly the development of hypertext and interactive video, has presented to the academic community a new and effective tool for teaching and learning. An application of these technologies led to the concept of a hypermedia resource library—a set of integrated interactive computer modules that allow the user to browse and study topically specific content in a unique way. Such modules electronically present textual, graphic, and real-time video materials that instruct and quiz the user, offer a means for computer-based laboratory experimentation and data analysis, and provide statistical evaluation of the user’s progress. This paper will focus on the technology of computer-based hypermedia and the specific concept within this context of the artificially intelligent hypermedia resource library.     

Biochemical correlates of personality traits in normals: An exploratory study

This study attempted to identify biochemical systems associated with the personality dimensions of Extraversion (E), Neuroticism (N), Psychoticism (P), Sensation Seeking (SS) and Impulsivity (Imp). The subjects were 43 normal volunteers who volunteered to take a battery of psychological tests and allow investigators to obtain samples of blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for biochemical assessment.Substantial positive correlations were found between CSF norepinephrine (NE), MHPG (the principal metabolite of NE), DBH (an enzyme involved in the production of NE) and plasma MHPG and DBH; all of these are regarded, in some part, as putative indicators of central noradrenergic activity. After partialling out the influences of age, height and weight, a number of significant relationships were found between psychological traits and biochemical variables. Extraversion correlated positively and introversion and neuroticism correlated negatively with CSF Ca. Neuroticism also correlated negatively with plasma MHPG. Ego Strength (inversely related to Neurotic Introversion), P and Disinhibitory SS correlated negatively with CSF cort. General SS correlated negatively with CSF NE and plasma DBH, and these correlations were significant in both males and females, as well as in the total group. The results are consistent with some biological models of personality, but suggest the need for modification in others.     

Similarities and differences among three generations of women in attitudes toward the female role in contemporary society

A three-generational sample of 103 college women, 88 of their mothers, and 30 of their maternal grandmothers responded to questionnaires containing the Spence and Helmreich Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS). Intrafamily matched pair analysis tested hypotheses of intergenerational similarities and differences; and several potential correlates of attitudes toward female roles in contemporary society were investigated. Major intergenerational differences prevailed, with younger generations being more profeminist. The extent of difference varied by issue. Participation in the labor force was correlated with liberal views, but the degree of liberality seemed best interpreted in terms of enlightened self-interest.     

Change in selectivity of infant social behavior between 15 and 30 weeks

Six infants were filmed at 15 and 30 weeks of age while alone as well as in the presence of an adult (mother or stranger) who interacted with the infant or remained passive. Judges viewing samples of infant behavior tried to identify the social context in which episodes of behavior had occurred. Signal detection analysis of ratings made by the judges showed that infant behavior at both ages varied in accord with whether or not an adult was present. The identity and interactional style of the adult had only limited influence on infant behavior at 15 weeks, but judges could readily establish from the behavior of 30-week infants whether the adult was interactive or passive. Mothers were no more accurate in their ratings of social context than other judges were, even when they were observing the behavior of their own infant. Measurement of specific infant behaviors showed that the presence of the adult at both ages and the interactional style of the adult at 30 weeks exerted selective influence over rates of looking and smiling by infants. Signal detection classification was more sensitive to social context variables than microanalysis, possibly because observers had access to complex behavioral configurations.     

Men and women holding hands: II. Whose hand is uppermost?

Sex differences in the way men and women hold hands were investigated in a series of six studies. Specifically, it was hypothesized that men would have the uppermost hand in male-female couples holding hands in public significantly more often than women. Also, the American couples observed in Study 1 were classified by height, those in Study 2 by age, those in Study 3 by hand preference, those in Study 4 by ethnic group, and those in Study 6 by sex of initiator of the handholding; the handholding couples in Study 5 were Japanese adults. A combined total of 15,008 handholding couples were observed in these six studies, and across differences in height, age, hand preference, ethnicity, culture, and sex of the initiator of handholding in public, men were significantly more likely than women to have the uppermost hand.     

Principles and Problems in the Assessment of Quality of Life in Health Care

A remarkable surge in efforts to assess the quality of life of patients has occurred in recent years in medical research. Philosophical discussions of these developments have focused, on the one hand, on epistemological reservations about the plausibility of measuring quality of life and, on the other hand, on moral and ethical qualms about the meaning of life conveyed in such assessments. Whilst providing an important note of caution, such critiques fail to recognise two basic principles of quality of life in medical research. Firstly it is intended to provide understanding about groups and categories of patients rather than individuals. Secondly the purpose of such research is to produce generalisations about the relative costs and benefits of specific health care interventions rather than absolute judgements regarding the quality of life of patients per se. Selecting a good quality of life measure for a clinical trial requires balancing criteria such as validity with practical feasibility. Such measures will play an increasingly central role in providing research evidence to improve health care.     

Brightness selectivity in the motion aftereffect

Eighteen Ss were required to track the apparent motion of a stationary grating viewed after prolonged inspection of a moving grating. Measures were obtained with the inspection and test gratings identical in contrast but different in space-average luminance, or with luminance held constant and contrast varied. The aftereffect was reduced as the gratings differed in space-average luminance, but contrast exerted less uniform influence as a variable. Brightness-selectivity in the motion aftereffect is interpreted within the selective adaptation model of aftereffects as evidence that some detectors in human vision are conjointly tuned to space-average luminance and image motion.     

Stereospatial masking and aftereffect with normal and transformed random-dot patterns

Masking and aftereffect in the perception of binocular depth were studied using random-dot sterograms as adaptation and target stimuli. Detection of the target was impaired by prior adaptation only when the two stimuli differed in disparity by less than 2 minarc. The masking function was unaffected by uniocular enlargement and blurring within the adaptation stimulus, but masking was no longer selective to disparity when the elements seen by the two eyes were reversed in brightness. The stereoscopic depth aftereffect was also insensitive to uniocular enlargement and blurring, and could not be generated when there was brightness complementation within the adaptation stimulus. Both the masking and aftereffect data are interpreted as evidence that stereospatial detectors in human vision are insensitive to transforms that maintain luminance-spatial correlations in binocular input.