A novel technology for investigating the dynamics of infant perseverative reaching

We designed and tested a novel technology that enables us to capture the entire stream of behavior in perseverative reaching tasks. Beyond fitting the criteria of the conventional A-not-B task, the novel technology gives us better access to the core features of perseverative reaching, such as timing, behavior history, and reinforcement. The technology allows us to quantitatively manipulate reinforcement characteristics, to accurately program onsets, delays, and stimulus durations as well as locations and salience of the targets, and to automatically record the number of reaches to each target and compute timing. We did a validation study on this new technology, investigating the influence of a number of novel factors on perseverative reaching. We replicated the A-not-B phenomenon and associated developmental changes. In addition, results demonstrated that the new technology offers insights into infants' behavior beyond the first reaching action. Moreover, data collection is fully automated, yielding precise, quantitative data. Future studies using this technology will capitalize on the salient advantages of this technology to more precisely measure goal-directed actions and understand the development of reaching skill.     

Calibration algorithm for eyetracking with unrestricted head movement

This article reports a calibration procedure that enables researchers to track movements of the eye while allowing relatively unrestricted head and/or body movement. The eye—head calibration algorithm calculates fixation point based on eye-position data acquired by a head-mounted eyetracker and corresponding head-position data acquired by a 3-D motion-tracking system. In a single experiment, we show that this procedure provides robust eye-position estimates while allowing free head movement. Although several companies offer ready-made systems for this purpose, there is no literature available that makes it possible for researchers to explore the details of the calibration procedures used by these systems. By making such details available, we hope to facilitate the development of cost-effective, nonproprietary eyetracking solutions.     

Women report being more likely than men to model their relationships after what they have seen on TV.

Students (21 men and 50 women) anonymously answered questions about imitating relationships seen on TV. The women were more likely than men to report trying to model family life after what they saw on TV situational comedies and to expect their significant other to act as those seen on TV. They also more frequently reported experiencing a significant other acting as those on TV. There was no difference by sex in current age, parents' marital status during the students' formative years, or age of separation, divorce, or widowing if any occurred. For neither women nor men did a broken home during the formative years correlate with looking to TV for information on relationships.     

ALTRUISM: TOWARD A PSYCHOBIOSPIRITUAL CONCEPTUALIZATION

Altruism, defined here as a regard for or devotion to the interest of others with whom we are interrelated, is pitted against two other dispositions in human beings: nepotism and egoism. We propose that to become fully human is to become more altruistic. We describe how altruism is mediated by our physiology, is expressed in our psychological development, is evolving in our social institutions, and becomes the moral communities that enforce our sense of right and wrong. A change in any one of these influences changes our disposition—changes who we are and what we do—potentially making altruism more possible in the world.     

Inherent Self,Invented Self,Empty Self: Constructivism,Buddhism, and Psychotherapy

Constructivist and Buddhist approaches to counseling and psychotherapy share increasing popularity as well as similar epistemological assumptions and understanding of human dysfunction and its amelioration. These approaches can be seen as consistent with postmodern psychology, which is distinguished from a realist or foundationalist view. This article provides an overview of these 2 models and describes some of their implications for psychopathology and psychotherapy, including examples of specific therapeutic approaches drawn from each perspective that might mutually inform practitioners who wish to apply this perspective to a higher view of the human situation.     

Effect of instructional units on the analysis of related and unrelated skills

84 majors in elementary education were divided into three groups, one control group and two experimental groups. The control group received no instruction in skill analysis while the experimental groups were instructed via videotape in either the instep kick in soccer or in throwing, catching, and striking skills. All three groups were given a skill-analysis test composed of throwing, catching, and striking skills. Statistical analysis yielded significant effect for those who viewed the throwing, catching, and striking videotape. No effect was found for the control group or the group who viewed the soccer-instep videotape. The results suggest specificity may be as important in skill analysis as in acquisition.