Organizational Coverups: Factors Influencing the Discipline of Information Gatekeepers1

This study examines factors that influence the severity of discipline administered to a subordinate information gatekeeper who is guilty of covering up an event and concealing and distorting information. Undergraduate business students read one of eight versions of a case depicting faulty upward communication, in which three variables-the superior-subordinate dependency relationship, the subordinate's motivation, and the subordinate's remorse-were manipulated. Unethicality of the offense was evaluated to be quite high across all experimental conditions, yet mild discipline was recommended when the superior was highly dependent on his subordinate and when the subordinate acted out of altruism for his superior. Probability of reoccurrence of the infraction was judged lowest when the offending subordinate displayed remorse. These findings are interpreted as representing a pragmatic orientation toward discipline based on perceived costs or benefits to the administrator. Conditions that increase the vulnerability of decision-makers to faulty upward communication are discussed.     

CAN-4, an advanced author language for CAI,computer-based testing and psychological experimentation: PDP-9 implementation

The effective use of computers for tutorial (programmed instruction) teaching and on-line testing requires that curriculum authors have powerful special-purpose languages. One such language, CAN-4, has been designed and implemented to run on the PDP-9. The language includes advanced scoring, data recording, computation, timing, and file control facilities. The language and its implementation are described in relation to the instructional problems which the facilities are designed to meet.     

A comparison of behavioral and emotional functioning in children and adolescents with Autistic Disorder and PDD-NOS.

Behavioral symptomatology was compared in 26 children and adolescents with Autistic Disorder ("autism") and 25 children and adolescents with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified ("PDD-NOS"). Relative to individuals with PDD-NOS, those with autism had more symptoms of depression, social withdrawal, atypical behavior, and immature social skills--and fewer family problems. These differences remained even when group differences in intellectual ability were statistically controlled. No group differences emerged in somatization, anxiety, or hyperactivity. Findings suggest that although both groups demonstrate considerable evidence of behavioral and emotional problems, those with autism are at particularly high risk for comorbid behavioral and emotional disabilities.     

Recognition accuracy and reaction time of vocal expressions of emotion by African-American and Euro-American college women

This study examined the relationship of racial group membership and vocal expressions of emotion. Recognition accuracy and reaction time were examined using the Diagnostic Assessment of Nonverbal Accuracy 2 Receptive Paralanguage subtests with 18 young Euro-American and African-American women. Participants listened to Euro-American children and adults speaking a neutral sentence, and identified the emotion as happy, sad, angry, or fearful. Analysis identified a significant effect for race on reaction time. Euro-American participants had faster mean RT than the African-American women for the recognition of vocal expression of emotion portrayed by Euro-Americans. However, no significant differences were found in mean accurate identification between the two groups. The finding of a significant difference in recognition RT but not in accuracy between the stimuli spoken by an adult and a child was unexpected. Both racial groups had faster mean RT in response to vocal expression of emotion by children.     

Childhood pay for grades is related to college grade point averages

In a sample of 87 college students from four junior level courses, being paid for earning good grades in childhood was related to higher college GPAs relative to students who were not paid for good grades in childhood.     

College students' acceptance of potential treatments for ADHD

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the influence that the professional occupation of a consultant making a treatment recommendation may have on college students' (82 women and 52 men) acceptance of a proposed treatment for a child displaying characteristics of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Consultants were special education teachers, school psychologists, or physicians. The study also examined college students' ratings of treatment acceptability associated with three frequently implemented interventions of either nonspecific medication, token economy with response cost, or time-out for children with characteristics of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Analysis indicated college students found a token economy intervention was the least acceptable recommendation by a physician.     

Using food redistribution to reduce packing in children with severe food refusal

Positive- and negative-reinforcement-based procedures typically have targeted acceptance for children with severe food refusal; however, these procedures do not always result in successful swallowing. Once acceptance is achieved, some children expel the food repeatedly or pack (hold or pocket) it in their mouths for extended periods of time. This study evaluated the effects of using food redistribution with a bristled massaging toothbrush to reduce packing and increase consumption in 4 children with severe feeding disorders. Packing was reduced for all children. In addition, latency to clean mouth (the duration of time from acceptance to food no longer being present in the child's mouth in the absence of expulsion) for 2 children decreased when the food-redistribution procedure was used. Results are discussed in terms of the potential operant functions of the food-redistribution procedure.     

Childhood maltreatment associated with adult personality disorders: findings from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study

Adverse childhood experiences such as abuse and neglect are frequently implicated in the development of personality disorders (PDs); however, research on the childhood histories of most PD groups remains limited. In this multisite investigation, we assessed self-reported history of abuse and neglect experiences among 600 patients diagnosed with either a PD (borderline, schizotypal, avoidant, or obsessive-compulsive) or major depressive disorder without PD. Results indicate that rates of childhood maltreatment among individuals with PDs are generally high (73% reporting abuse; 82% reporting neglect). As expected, borderline PD was more consistently associated with childhood abuse and neglect than other PD diagnoses. However, even when controlling for the effect of borderline PD, other PD diagnoses were associated with specific types of maltreatment.