Olfaction,Emotion and Associative Learning: Effects on Motivated Behavior

Two experiments were conducted to investigate emotional associative learning to odors and subsequent behavioral effects. In Experiment 1, participants experienced a frustration mood induction in the presence of an unfamiliar ambient odor and later worked on puzzle tests in a room scented with either the same-odor, a different-odor, or no-odor. Participants in the same-odor condition spent significantly less time working on the tests than participants in the other conditions; however, test accuracy did not vary. To clarify the findings, Experiment 2 included a test-only control and an emotionally neutral same-odor conditions. Results were compatible with the conclusion that decreased time spent by participants in the negative-same-odor condition was due to emotions elicited by associative learning to the ambient odor, although alternative interpretations remain possible. These data extend our previous results with children and suggest that odors readily become associated to emotions and can thereby influence behavior.     

Bridging the Divide Between Psychodynamic and Behavioral Approaches for Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder

ABSTRACT

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is one of the primary reasons youth are referred to mental health services. Disruptive behavior disorders such as ODD are heterogeneous in their presentation, developmental trajectories, and treatment needs. Given the high attrition rates in child psychotherapy in general, there is a need for a range of interventions tailored to meet the unique needs of each family to help increase familial engagement and positive outcomes for children with ODD.

This article outlines composite clinical case material of a child with ODD who was treated with Regulation Focused Psychotherapy for Children (RFP-C), a manualized, psychodynamic intervention for ODD. The case presented is then reconceptualized from a behavioral parent training perspective. This approach uses parent training to encourage positive parenting practices and reduce coercive reinforcement cycles. The case material and its reconceptualization are followed by a discussion of the distinctions between psychodynamic and behavioral approaches to children with ODD. An integrated psychotherapy approach is proposed, and the benefits and challenges of psychotherapy integration are discussed.     

Promoting positive outcomes through strengths interventions: A literature review

This paper reviews studies of strengths interventions published between 2011 and 2016. Strengths interventions aim to promote well-being or other positive outcomes by facilitating strengths identification, and sometimes also strengths use and/or development. The present review provides an overview of the different strengths interventions that are investigated, their effectiveness, and moderating and mediating factors. Results of the 18 (quasi-)experimental studies that were identified through a systematic literature search showed that all types of strengths interventions had positive outcomes in terms of well-being, job outcomes (e.g. work engagement), personal growth initiative, and group or team outcomes (e.g. class cohesion). Hope, positive affect, authentic self-expression, perceptions of the employment relationship, and feelings of social worth were identified as mediators, whereas extraversion and having specific strengths (e.g. persistence) were identified as moderators. Based on these findings, we discuss implications for future research and practice.     

Revisiting “Kindergarten as academic boot camp”: a nationwide study of ability grouping and psycho-social development

We revisit Harry L. Gracey’s perspective of kindergarten as academic boot camp where, at school entry, children acquire the student role through a structured program of activities. We provide further insights into the crucial mechanisms of socialization that occur in U.S. kindergartens by examining the relationship between within-class ability grouping and attributes of children’s psycho-social development that are critical for school success. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K) and incorporating stratified propensity scores into multi-level models, our analyses link within-class ability grouping to student behaviors in a manner that supports the concerns raised by ability grouping critics. Children in low ability groups show slower development in approaches to learning than comparable ungrouped children. Children in high ability groups show more accelerated development in all psycho-social attributes considered (approaches to learning, interpersonal skills, self control and externalizing problem behaviors) than comparable ungrouped children. These asymmetrical findings suggest that children placed in high and low ability groups are socialized into different versions of the student role.     

The Role of Conditional Likelihoods in Latent Variable Modeling

Psychometrika - In psychometrics, the canonical use of conditional likelihoods is for the Rasch model in measurement. Whilst not disputing the utility of conditional likelihoods in measurement, we...     

Additive Multilevel Item Structure Models with Random Residuals: Item Modeling for Explanation and Item Generation

An additive multilevel item structure (AMIS) model with random residuals is proposed. The model includes multilevel latent regressions of item discrimination and item difficulty parameters on covariates at both item and item category levels with random residuals at both levels. The AMIS model is useful for explanation purposes and also for prediction purposes as in an item generation context. The parameters can be estimated with an alternating imputation posterior algorithm that makes use of adaptive quadrature, and the performance of this algorithm is evaluated in a simulation study.     

Landscaping analyses of the ROC predictions of discrete-slots and signal-detection models of visual working memory

A fundamental issue concerning visual working memory is whether its capacity limits are better characterized in terms of a limited number of discrete slots (DSs) or a limited amount of a shared continuous resource. Rouder et al. (2008) found that a mixed-attention, fixed-capacity, DS model provided the best explanation of behavior in a change detection task, outperforming alternative continuous signal detection theory (SDT) models. Here, we extend their analysis in two ways: first, with experiments aimed at better distinguishing between the predictions of the DS and SDT models, and second, using a model-based analysis technique called landscaping, in which the functional-form complexity of the models is taken into account. We find that the balance of evidence supports a DS account of behavior in change detection tasks but that the SDT model is best when the visual displays always consist of the same number of items. In our General Discussion section, we outline, but ultimately reject, a number of potential explanations for the observed pattern of results. We finish by describing future research that is needed to pinpoint the basis for this observed pattern of results.     

Video Versus Reality: Infants' Attention and Affective Responses to Video and Live Presentations

Television viewing by infants has become very common, yet relatively little is known about infants' reactions to video compared to live events. We conducted two experiments in order to compare 9- or 10-month-old infants' behavioral reactions to live events and video presentations of those events. In the first experiment, infants' were shown video and live presentations shown consecutively; their affective reactions were consistent, indicating that video conveys meaning and emotional impact even in infancy. However, infants generally looked longer at, reached more to, showed more interest in, and exhibited more fear to the real stimuli. In a second experiment, infants were shown identical live and video events simultaneously; they looked much longer at the live presentations, further confirming that they distinguished live events from video and preferred to watch real events. Implications for infants' television viewing and the use of video images in infancy research are discussed.     

Cortisol,interleukins and S100B in delirium in the elderly

In independent studies delirium was associated with higher levels of cortisol, interleukin(IL)s, and S100B. The aim of this study was to simultaneously compare cortisol, IL-6, IL-8, and S100B levels in patients aged 65 years and older admitted for hip fracture surgery with and without delirium. Cortisol, IL-6, IL-8, and S100B were assayed in repeated blood samples. 120 patients (mean age 84 years, 62 patients with delirium) were included. Highest levels of IL-8 (27.1, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 13.6–53.1 pg/ml) and cortisol (666, 95% CI: 475–859 nmol/L) were before delirium, but of IL-6 (84.3, 95% CI: 46.5–151.4 pg/mL) and S100B (0.18, 95% CI: 0.12–0.24 μg/L) during delirium. In multivariable analysis cortisol, LogIL-6, and LogS100B were significantly associated with delirium, but adjusted for pre-existing cognitive impairment, only LogS100B remained significantly associated. Cortisol, IL-6 and S100B may have a role in the pathogenesis of delirium, but S100B is the strongest independent marker.     

Naughty or nice?: equity, gender and behavior

We review the debate over behavior, gender and classroom placement in ability groups for kindergartners. Using vignettes we vary children’s gender in three ways; male, female, or unspecified gender and also describe them as behaving well, average, or misbehaving. Our aim is to probe how much gender and behavior matter with respect to mock reading group placement. The design allows us to see if depicted behavior affects placement when every vignette child is described as possessing the same, average ability. After reading vignettes that vary gender and behavior, but not ability, respondents are directed to assign the portrayed child to a high, medium or low reading group. While depicted behavior strongly affects reading group placement, gender is not a significant predictor.

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