Dissociation between Categorical and Coordinate Spatial Computations: Modulation by Cerebral Hemispheres, Task Properties, Mode of Response, and Age

Kosslyn suggested a dissociation of two kinds of spatial representations: categorical and coordinate, the former computed by the left hemisphere and the latter by the right hemisphere. In addition, with practice, a “categorization” of the coordinate computation would appear. These suggestions resulted largely from an experiment, replicated by others, in which the subjects had to estimate the relative position of a dot and a line by giving an oral response, and feedback was provided. The present series of five experiments was an attempt to test whether this finding could be generalized, under several methodological manipulations, some of which have already been used by researchers in separate studies. In the five experiments, accuracy was a more contributive dependent variable than correct latencies, and practice effects on the task × field interaction were not verified. Experiments 1–3 concerned the kind of response. When a manual instead of an oral response was required (Experiment 1;n= 32 Ss), the expected dissociation was observed (as well as when the latency of responses made by the right hand were studied). When the number of oral responses was increased from two (a binary choice) to eight, the dissociation was still observed for accuracy but disappeared when a more liberal criterion of accuracy was used to reduce the considerable task effect (Experiment 2;n= 32 Ss), or when response requirements were equated for both tasks (Experiment 3;n= 32 Ss). In Experiment 4 (n= 32 Ss), a manual response was called but the feedback was removed and the task dissociation disappeared. Finally, the task dissociation observed in Experiment 1 was not verified when a sample of elderly subjects was enrolled (Experiment 5;n= 32 Ss). However, age per se was the source of an interesting additional dissociation since only the coordinate computation was age sensitive. Our results suggest that the dissociation proposed by Kosslyn between the computation of categorical vs coordinate spatial relationships is highly unstable and sensitive to subtle methodological factors (vocal vs manual response, presence vs absence of feedback, binary vs “continous” response, age) which could preclude its general application.     

ANALYSIS OF A HIGH-PROBABILITY INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE AND TIME-OUT IN THE TREATMENT OF CHILD NONCOMPLIANCE

This study evaluated the effectiveness of high-probability requests and time-out as treatments for noncompliance that appeared to be maintained by contingent attention in 2 developmental normal children. The introduction of high-probability requests increased compliance for 1 child but not the other. Time-out was effective with both children, and improvements in compliance were maintained at an 8-week follow-up.     

Assisting At-Risk College Students With Attributional Retraining and Effective Teaching1

Attributional retraining appears to be an effective remedial intervention for college students. However, the potential moderating effects of student and classroom characteristics have not yet been investigated systematically. In two studies, attributional retraining was provided to low- and high-risk students, followed by a videotaped lecture presented by either an ineffective or effective instructor. Attributional retraining enhanced achievement on a lecture-based achievement test only when combined with effective teaching, improving the achievement of students who had previously performed poorly (Experiment l), and of low-achieving externals (Experiment 2). The intervention provided no advantage for previously successful students and low-achieving internals. Moreover, attributional retraining induced a more internal attribution profile in students with an external locus, and increased expectations of future success in both externals and internals, but again only when students also received effective instruction. These results suggest that contextual factors related to the classroom, such as quality of instruction, and individual differences have to be considered when developing attributional retraining programs.     

Putting the “B” in ret: It had to be

Editor's Note: The history of RET will show that in the early 1990s, Albert Ellis modified the name of his therapy to rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Ellis gives much of the credit and responsibility for the name change to Ray Corsini—the highly-regarded anthologist of modern-day systems of counseling and psychotherapy. Dr. Corsini was kind enough to contribute his own view as to why the name change was warranted. The lively debate concerning the inclusion of the word “behavior” in rational-emotive therapy will be taken up in the next issue ofJRECBT with reactions of Gerald Davison, Cyril Franks, Arnold Lazarus and Albert Ellis.     

Inducing fair trade out of hegemonic trade

This paper provides a model of the transition from hegemonic trade to contemporary (or fair) trade. Hegemonic trade is an instance of the two player game called Bully (Poundstone 1992) and Called Bluff (Snyder and Diesing 1977); contemporary trade is an instance of Prisoner's Dilemma (Krugman and Obstfeld 1991). In this paper, I show that a nation under the thumb of a hegemon, called the conciliatory nation, can induce fair trade. Further, I show that to induce fair trade, the conciliatory nation must not be timied.     

Multimethodological approach to examining risk-taking

Research on risk-taking behavior has shown to yield inconsistent findings. Three studies were conducted using four different analysis techniques. The first study used a phenomenological approach and qualitative analysis to gain an understanding of risk-taking. A model of factors relating to risk-taking was developed and tested in a second study. The third study was conducted to develop scales of risk and used magnitude estimation and multidimensional scaling techniques. Results from the studies confirmed the multidimensionality of the construct of risk-taking. Also indicated was a gender difference in risk-taking behavior and perception. These studies expand our knowledge of risk-taking behavior in that 1) a method of categorizing risks was developed, 2) gender similarities and differences in risk-taking were explored, and 3) perceived magnitude and underlying dimensions of risk were developed.