Measurement of activity in small animals using a microcomputer-controlled system

A computer-controlled system that detects spontaneous activity (locomotion and rearing) and diurnal activity rhythms in small animals is described. Automatic recording of subtotals during test periods provides data about habituation (nonassociative learning). The system is relatively inexpensive to construct. Fabricated from highly reliable circuit components, it provides replicable measures that enable comparisons between different experimental treatments to be made using parametric statistics.     

Production and control of auditory signals in attention research using the Apple-Psych system

A technical issue in auditory spatial attention research is how best to provide low-cost, accurate control of the frequency, duration, and location of acoustic signals. Three solutions to the problem are compared: use of the internal oscillator of the Apple lIe, use of a Mountain A/D+D/A card, and use of an external oscillator chip. The unique advantages and drawbacks of each system are discussed. All share some common problems of external speaker interface, timing control, and interface with the software. Hardware and software solutions implemented on the Apple-Psych system are discussed, along with data that demonstrate the precision control achieved with the system.     

Repairing the Microsoft BASIC RND function

Difficulties with the Microsoft BASIC function for generating random numbers (RND) are cited and new problems reported. Fixes are suggested that allow use of some of the speed of the original function and that produce greatly improved pseudorandom numbers. A published generator is combined with the RND function as a compromise solution.     

Maternal handling and motor development: an intracultural study

Citing a distinction between informal and formal routines used by mothers in handling their infants, we examined formal handling routines, in which the caregiver acts in a pedagogical manner; these routines are widespread in many non-Western countries. We hypothesised that formal handling serves to facilitate gross motor development during early infancy. To examine this hypothesis, the effects of a Jamaican formal handling routine on a broad range of developmental outcomes was examined. Results showed that the effects were specific to early gross motor development and in particular to postural control along the vertical axis of the body. Information is also provided on other aspects of Jamaican child care. It seems that the handling routine forms part of a folk (developmental) medicine system and may serve not only to promote child health but also as a sort of developmental neurological examination.     

Differences in school behavior and achievement between children from intact, reconstituted, and single-parent families.

Differences in school behavior and achievement between students from intact, reconstituted, and single-parent families were analyzed. Students from intact two-parent families had fewer absences and tardies, higher grade point averages, and fewer negative and more positive teacher behavioral ratings than did those from reconstituted and single-parent families.     

A comparison of the psychological profiles of teenage mothers and their nonmother peers: I. Ego development.

Two projective techniques were employed to explore the psychological characteristics of teenage mothers who were found, in a previous study, to have experienced more traumatic childhoods than the nonmother control group. Part I, presented here, investigated ego development using the Loevinger Sentence Completion Test. (Part II, responses to a set of TAT cards, will appear in a subsequent issue of Adolescence.) In comparison with the nonmothers, teenage mothers demonstrated more mature ego development. This is in distinct contrast with most reports in the literature, and the ramifications of these results are discussed. In addition, content analyses of the responses to the Sentence Completion Test confirm the highly involved mother-daughter and negative father-daughter relationships found in the previous study with this sample.     

Runaway girls in distress: motivation, background, and personality.

This paper deals with girls aged 13 to 21 who have run away from home. Social workers who work with such girls point out that they are not a homogeneous population and that their motives can be very different. This study divides their motives for running away into two types, "running from" and "running to," and describes the specific personality traits associated with each. Findings indicate that girls who "run to" are younger, more impulsive, have an internal locus of control and a history of more runaways and longer periods of staying away from home. Girls who "run from," on the other hand, are older, more reflective, have an external locus of control and a history of fewer runaways and shorter periods away from home.