Acetylcholine and olfactory perceptual learning

Olfactory perceptual learning is a relatively long-term, learned increase in perceptual acuity, and has been described in both humans and animals. Data from recent electrophysiological studies have indicated that olfactory perceptual learning may be correlated with changes in odorant receptive fields of neurons in the olfactory bulb and piriform cortex. These changes include enhanced representation of the molecular features of familiar odors by mitral cells in the olfactory bulb, and synthetic coding of multiple coincident odorant features into odor objects by cortical neurons. In this paper, data are reviewed that show the critical role of acetylcholine (Ach) in olfactory system function and plasticity, and cholinergic modulation of olfactory perceptual learning at both the behavioral and cortical level.     

A comparison of between- and within-subjects imitation designs

Two experimental methods, which have dominated the study of declarative memory in preverbal children with imitation tasks, namely the deferred imitation and elicited imitation paradigm, differ in the amount of physical contact with test stimuli afforded infants prior to a test for long-term recall. The current study assessed effects of pre- and post-demonstration contact with test stimuli on deferred imitation of novel, single-step unrelated actions with multiple objects by 8½- and 10½-month-old infants (N = 50). The rate of target action completion after a delay remained consistent at both ages across different conditions of prior contact with test stimuli. This study shows that a within-subjects baseline appraisal is valid within certain experimental parameters and offers a more economical alternative. The results show furthermore that different experimental designs utilized to assess deferred imitation are highly comparable for the first year despite differences in determining baseline.     

The (un)reasonableness of reporting: antecedents and consequences of reporting sexual harassment

This study places the reporting of sexual harassment within an integrated model of the sexual harassment process. Two structural models were developed and tested in a sample (N = 6,417) of male and female military personnel. The 1st model identifies determinants and effects of reporting; reporting did not improve--and at times worsened--job, psychological, and health outcomes. The authors argue that organizational responses to reports (i.e., organizational remedies, organizational minimization, and retaliation) as well as procedural satisfaction can account for these negative effects. The 2nd model examines these mediating mechanisms; results suggest that these mediators, and not reporting itself, are the source of the negative effects of reporting. Organizational and legal implications of these findings are discussed.     

Evaluating Sources of Ego-Threatening Feedback: Self-Esteem and Narcissism Effects

High self-esteem individuals in previous studies have tended to deny the credibility of negative evaluators. The present research examined possible explanations for this finding and compared the effects of self-esteem and narcissism on evaluations of negative feedback sources. Following bogus negative feedback, self-esteem predicted negative evaluations of a nonperson feedback source and positive affect, as expected from consistency theory; narcissism predicted negative evaluations of a person feedback source and hostile affect, as expected from threat-derogation and narcissism theory. Results indicate the importance of distinguishing between healthy and defensive self-esteem in understanding responses to negative feedback.     

Parental Divorce and the “Switching” of Religious Identity

This article examines the impact of parental divorce on the likelihood that an individual has changed their religious identify. Using data from the National Survey of Family and Households, we use a theoretical framework of family structure and community ties to test the hypothesis that religious mobility is more likely among children of divorce compared to those from intact families. Distinguishing between parental divorce in childhood and parental divorce in adulthood allows us to assess the impact of parental divorce on religious socialization. For individuals raised as either moderate Protestant, conservative Protestant or Catholic, parental divorce increases the likelihood of both switching to another religion and apostasy. The impact of divorce is particularly strong for Catholics and conservative Protestants, who are, in general, less likely to be religious mobile. These findings add religious disaffiliation to the set of likely sequelae of parental divorce. In addition, the results of the study highlight the need to consider the relationship between family structure and religious processes in a community context.     

Behavior Problems, Academic Skill Delays and School Failure Among School-Aged Children in Foster Care: Their Relationship to Placement Characteristics

We describe the level of behavior problems, academic skill delays, and school failure among school-aged children in foster care. We also examine how behavior problems are associated with academic problems, and explore how these outcomes are related to children's placement characteristics. Foster parent and child home interviews, as well as teacher telephone interviews were conducted from a randomly selected sample of 302 children aged 6 through 12 years living in out-of-home placement. Interviews included standardized screening measures. Results showed that 27% of the children scored in the clinical range for a behavior problem, and 34% were rated as having at least one behavior problem in the classroom. Twenty-three percent of the children had severe delays in reading or math, 13% had repeated a grade, and 14% had a history of school suspension and/or expulsion. Behavior problems by foster parent report were related to child suspension and/or expulsion from school, but were not associated with severe academic delays or grade retention. Placement characteristics were only sometimes related to these outcomes. Future studies examining the mental health and educational needs of this population should take into account the child's sociodemographic and placement characteristics.     

College Goals: Do Self-Determined and Carefully Considered Goals Predict Intrinsic Motivation,Academic Performance,and Adjustment During the First Semester?

The present study investigated whether choosing autonomous goals for pursuing a college education and reflecting on those goals promotes intrinsic motivation toward coursework, higher grades and improved adjustment to college over time. Incoming first-year college students responded to the College Goals Questionnaire before starting classes, and to the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire and the Work Preference Inventory during their first semester. Results indicated that the degree to which students who reflected on their goals had high levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The autonomy of students' goals predicted grade point average, high intrinsic motivation, low extrinsic motivation, and improvement in social and emotional adjustment over time. These findings contribute to the literature on personal goals by establishing the importance of having well-thought- through and autonomous goals during the transition to college.     

Latent Classes of Dysregulated Behaviors Relate to Negative Mental Images

Dysregulated behaviors (DBs), such as self-harm or binge eating, are related to various negative outcomes. In this study, we investigate how classes of individuals vary in their level of DBs. We compare the classes with regards to their experiences regarding negative mental images and emotion regulation strategies. A web-based survey assessed eleven DBs in a sample of N=912 adults. A latent class analysis (LCA) identified a class of 168 adults that were prone to various DBs (“high(DBs)”). Another class (n?=?46) reported drunkenness and risks for drug use and overeating (“high(Intake)”). The majority of individuals (n?=?698) featured a low rate of DBs (“low(DBs)”). The high(DBs) exhibited the highest scores in distressing imagery and maladaptive emotion regulation. The high(Intake) had a low overall profile; however, it displayed increased imagery nowness. Class differences were leveled by depressive symptoms. The findings help extend the knowledge on DBs and their correlates. Clinical implications are discussed.