Effect of effort and latent extinction on resistance to extinction

Sixty-four male Wistar rats were given acquisition training in an enclosed straight-alley runway which could be adjusted for angles of inclination. The 2×2×2 design involved two angles of inclination in acquisition (0° and 40°) and two angles of inclination in extinction (0° and 40°). Between acquisition and extinction, half the subjects were exposed to a latent extinction procedure and half served as controls. Number of responses in a 30-min extinction session was an inverse function of effort required in extinction. Additionally, latent extinction procedures resulted in reduced resistance to extinction, but only when the effort conditions of acquisition and extinction were constant. When the effort conditions of acquisition and extinction were dissimilar, latent extinction procedures resulted in increased resistance to extinction. The results raise questions about the nature of the learning which occurs during latent extinction training.     

Organizational preparedness for change: Staff acceptance of an on-line computer-assisted assessment system

An on-line assessment system is briefly described. Previous positive evaluation studies are summarized. Results of studies of staff acceptance and staff preparedness for change are reported. Findings are interpreted in terms of the need for planning for change. Implications related to the acceptance of other on-line computer systems in psychology are discussed.     

Seat belt usage: A potential target for applied behavior analysis

Results of 1,579 observations of cars entering or exiting campus parking lots showed direct relationships between seat belt wearing and the intrusiveness of the engineering device designed to induce belt usage, and between device intrusiveness and system defeat. For example, all drivers with working interlocks or unlimited buzzer reminders were wearing a seat belt; but 62% of the systems with interlocks or unlimited buzzers had been defeated, and only 15.9% of the drivers in these cars were wearing a seat belt. The normative data indicated marked ineffectiveness of the negative reinforcement contingencies implied by current seat belt inducement systems; but suggested that unlimited buzzer systems would be the optimal system currently available if contingencies were developed to discourage the disconnection and circumvention of such systems. Positive reinforcement strategies are discussed that would be quite feasible for large-scale promotion of seat belt usage.     

Must the Rational Emotive Therapist Be Like Albert Ellis?

The author believes that some counselors may avoid the use of Rational Emotive Therapy techniques because they feel that they could not deal with clients in the same active-directive manner as of Albert Ellis, the originator of RET. Counselors who may be interested in applying RET principles with clients are urged to adapt the techniques of RET to their own personalities and styles of counseling.     

Saltation through the blind spot

At least three localization illusions can be produced by varying the time relations between two stimuli. Two of these, phi motion and Békésy’s illusion, have been induced in areas lacking receptors. To learn if this also occurred with the third illusion, sensory saltation, people reported their observations when Geldard’s visual rabbit was induced by stimulating points around the optic disk. The rabbit crossed the blind spot as well as other portions of the eyes, and the illusory point was often localized within the region of the blind spot. All three illusions can be localized in an area devoid of receptors.     

A method of restraining goldfish during conditioning of electric-shock-induced suppression of breathing movements

An efficient method of holding individual fish in position for delivery of visual conditioned stimuli and electrical unconditioned stimuli, and for registration of breathing movements with a thermistor, is described. The holder restrains the fish gently and is readily opened and closed. In addition, a “mechanical fish” signal generator, for assessing thermistor performance in detecting breathing movements, and a safe constant-current electrical shock stimulus generator are described.     

Sharing behavior and racial preference in children

Three groups of white children, 43 preschoolers and first-graders, 46 third-graders, and 44 fifth-graders, were asked to choose either a white child or a black child as a recipient of sharing and also as a companion for several social interaction situations ordered for social distance. The preschoolers and first-graders preferred to share and interact socially with the white child. The third-graders and the fifth-graders displayed a weaker preference for the white child over the black child on the sharing task, no preference in situations of high social distance, and a preference for the white child in situations of low social distance. The results from ancillary measures suggested that the choices of the younger children were motivated by a generalized color preference but that the choices of the older children were guided by an awareness of the social meaning of racial categories.The investigation was supported by the Research Advisory Council of East Tennessee State University.     

Behavior of depressed subjects in problem solving groups

This study investigated leadership selection in groups in relation to level of depression of group members. On the basis of MMPI-D and DACL scores 66 subjects were organized into groups of six to eight people consisting of all depressed, all nondepressed, or half depressed and half nondepressed subjects. Subjects performed a problem solving task alone and in groups and completed a questionnaire on leadership choice and group performance. Results indicate that nondepressed group members talked more frequently, were rated as more important contributors, and were selected as leaders more frequently than depressed members. In addition, mixed groups were perceived as more efficient and enjoyable by group members than the unmixed groups. There were no significant differences between depressed and nondepressed subjects on performance of the problem solving task whether working alone or in groups. Results were discussed in relation to other literature on the interpersonal behavior of depressed persons.