Emotions and cardiac contractility as reflected in ballistocardiographic recordings

Thirty-four patients with documented ischemic heart disease were followed with nine or more ballistocardiograms recorded at different occasions during a period exceeding two years. In a doubleblind procedure the reactions to life situations were explored in relation to the average rate of maximal cardiac force development as reflected from the slope of the IJ segment of the ballistocardiogram. A similar procedure was used in the analysis of emotional reactions in relation to IJ slope during stress interviews of six other patients with ischemic heart disease. Passive behavior and feelings of being defeated corresponded to low rate of cardiac force development, whereas happiness or aggressive responses to frustrations corresponded to a high rate of cardiac force development.     

Cued and uncued terminal links in concurrent-chains schedules

Pigeons were trained on a concurrent-chains schedule. The initial links were concurrent variable-interval schedules arranged on two side keys. Each terminal link was a fixed-interval schedule arranged on the center key. In cued conditions, different center-key colors signaled the two terminal-link schedules. In uncued conditions, the same center-key color appeared for both terminal links. Experiment 1 arranged unequal initial links and equal terminal links. Preference for the shorter initial-link schedule was greater when the terminal links were uncued. Experiment 2 arranged equal initial links and unequal terminal links. Preference for the shorter terminal-link schedule was greater when the terminal links were cued. Although the results of Experiment 2 successfully replicated previous research, the results of Experiment 1 are not easily reconciled with conditioned-reinforcement or discriminative-stimulus accounts of the role of terminal-link cues. Rather, terminal-link cues appear to decrease sensitivity to initial-link contingencies.     

Commentary: Tending the Garden of Personality

ABSTRACT In this Commentary for the special issue of the Journal of Personality, we discuss the uses and limitations of taxonomies in personality, drawing on the role of taxonomic efforts in other sciences. We endorse Mc Adams's concept of several “levels” (perhaps three: traits, motives and cognitive structures, and core unity themas or identity) for ordering and arranging the major variables of personality. We argue that these levels should be considered independent and distinct: Each level has its own range of convenience, and no level can be reduced to any other level. We suggest that the concept of conflict—within and across levels—is a useful way to understand certain problematic cases. Finally, we argue that the social macrocontext (gender, class, race, culture, and history) has unfortunately been neglected in most personality theories and taxonomies of variables. We illustrate the importance of social macrocontext with a brief discussion of the case of Maya Angelou.     

Self-Identity and the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Useful Addition or an Unhelpful Artifice?1

Among the variables proposed as useful additions to the structure of the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991), there is evidence for the predictive usefulness of a measure of self-identity. In the study reported here, members of the general population in the United Kingdom (n= 235) completed a questionnaire addressing the consumption of a diet low in animal fats. The questionnaire was structured in terms of the TPB and contained additional variables that previous research has indicated to be useful predictors of intentions and behavior. A multiple regression of intentions (R²= .80) showed self-identification as a health-conscious consumer to have a predictive effect independent of the effects of these other variables. This effect was also found in replication studies.     

INCREASING GENERALIZED SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN PSYCHOTIC AND MENTALLY RETARDED RESIDENTS THROUGH PEER-MEDIATED THERAPY

This study investigated whether withdrawn adults living in a residential center for psychotic and mentally handicapped persons could serve as peer therapists to increase the social interaction of other withdrawn residents. Two pairs of residents served as participants. Treatments were introduced and evaluated within a multiple baseline with reversal design. After baseline, the peer therapist was instructed to increase the social interactions of a target peer through engagement in social interactions. The results demonstrated that the peer therapist increased the social interactions of target peers. However, these increases did not generalize to other residents until the introduction of a multiple peer therapist condition. The percentage of time the peer therapists interacted with other nontarget residents also increased throughout the study. These results were maintained during a 4-month follow-up condition.