If waking and dreaming consciousness became de-differentiated, would schizophrenia result?

If both waking and dreaming consciousness are functional, their de-differentiation would be doubly detrimental. Differentiation between waking and dreaming is achieved through neuromodulation. During dreaming, without external sensory data and with mesolimbic dopaminergic input, hyper-cholinergic input almost totally suppresses the aminergic system. During waking, with sensory gates open, aminergic modulation inhibits cholinergic and mesocortical dopaminergic suppresses mesolimbic. These neuromodulatory systems are reciprocally interactive and self-organizing. As a consequence of neuromodulatory reciprocity, phenomenologically, the self and the world that appear during dreaming differ from those that emerge during waking. As a result of self-organizing, the self and the world in both states are integrated.Some loss of self-organization would precipitate a degree of de-differentiation between waking and dreaming, resulting in a hybrid state which would be expressed heterogeneously, both neurobiologically and phenomenologically. As a consequence of progressive de-differentiation, certain identifiable psychiatric disorders may emerge. Ultimately, schizophrenia, a disorganized-fragmented self, may result.     

Racial dialogues: challenges faculty of color face in the classroom

Research on the experiences of faculty of color in predominantly White institutions (PWIs) suggests that they often experience the campus climate as invalidating, alienating, and hostile. Few studies, however, have actually focused on the classroom experiences of faculty of color when difficult racial dialogues occur. Using Consensually Qualitative Research, eight faculty of color were interviewed about their experiences in the classroom when racially tinged topics arose. Three major findings emerged. First, difficult racial dialogues were frequently instigated by the presence of racial microaggressions delivered toward students of color or the professor. Dialogues on race were made more difficult when the classrooms were diverse, when heated emotions arose, when there was a strong fear of self-disclosure, and when racial perspectives differed. Second, all faculty experienced an internal struggle between balancing their own values and beliefs with an attempt to remain objective. This conflict was often described as exhausting and energy-depleting. Third, faculty of color described both successful and unsuccessful strategies in facilitating difficult dialogues on race that arose in the course of their teaching. These findings have major implications for how PWIs can develop new programs, policies, and practices that will aid and support colleagues of color.     

Why Do Emotionally Intelligent People Have Positive Work Attitudes? The mediating role of situational judgment effectiveness

Although research on emotional intelligence (EI) has shown that EI is positively associated with successful work outcomes, little is known about why this is true. The present study hypothesized and tested the intervening process of situational judgment effectiveness (SJE) in the relationships between EI and work attitudes. Using survey responses from 288 employees in South Korea, we found that EI was positively associated with SJE and work attitudes (job satisfaction and organizational commitment), and that the relationships between EI and the work attitudes were partially mediated by SJE. Overall, our finding has incremental contribution to the EI and work attitudes literatures by demonstrating that SJE plays an important role in understanding the EI–work attitudes relationship.     

Does Positive Perception of Oneself Boost Learning Motivation and Performance?

We examine whether core self‐evaluations (CSEs) affect learning motivation and performance beyond individual‐level established predictors of general mental ability and conscientiousness. Based on self‐regulation theories, we develop and test a process model, whereby learning motivation mediates the effects of CSE on performance. We also compare the explanatory value of single and multidimensional models of learning motivation. Using a longitudinal design and data from 631 students, we provide support for the proposed model, indicating the usefulness of CSE as another important, indirect predictor of performance in a learning setting via multiple dimensions of learning motivation: self‐efficacy, goal setting, and goal commitment. The results also indicate the superiority of the multidimensional model of learning motivation over the unidimensional model of learning motivation as a mediator. We conclude with the discussion of theoretical and practical implications of this finding for management education.     

An experimental study of behavioural coping strategies in free-ranging female Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus)

A fundamental goal of stress research is to understand how individuals cope with challenges. Studies on a range of vertebrate species suggest that three groups of behaviour-affiliative, aggressive and self-directed behaviours-serve as coping strategies. To date, experimental studies of coping behaviour have tended to be conducted in captive conditions; the limited number of studies in free-ranging or wild settings have been observational in nature. We investigated coping behaviours in free-ranging female Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) at Trentham Monkey Forest, UK, using an experimental playback approach to quantify subjects' responses to mildly aversive threat-grunts. Compared to silent control trials, playbacks of threat-grunts increased aggressive behaviours and one of the two self-directed behaviours examined (self-scratching). No such differences were seen for self-grooming, or for any affiliative behaviour. Elevations in the rate of one measure of aggression, lunging, were positively related to an average measure of adrenocortical activity (median faecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels over the study period). Evidence from females in a variety of Old World monkey species, including Barbary macaques, indicates that affiliative behaviours have an important role in coping with stressful events in the medium to longer term. Our results suggest that, in the short term, female Barbary macaques may use aggressive rather than affiliative behaviours in response to mild stress. These findings highlight the importance of considering how coping mechanisms may vary over time after a stressor, and how coping mechanisms relate to adrenocortical activity. Playback approaches like ours provide a powerful, flexible tool to explore issues such as this in free-ranging and wild animal populations.     

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for a Heterogeneous Group of Treatment-Resistant Clients: A Treatment Development Study

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has been shown to have broad applicability to different diagnostic groups, and there are theoretical reasons to consider its use with clients with chronic mental health problems. We report an innovative treatment development evaluation of ACT for a heterogeneous group of ”treatment-resistant clients” (N = 10) who had attended a mean of 3.5 previous psychological interventions. All clients had Axis I presentations and half met diagnostic criteria for Axis II disorders. Functioning, assessed at pre- and postintervention, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up, showed improvements over time on all primary outcome measures, driven largely by significant changes occurring between baseline and 6-month follow-up. Improvements were associated with ACT processes of change. The data thus suggest that a broad range of clients who had not benefited from standard care may benefit from ACT.     

Lana Chimpanzee Learns to Count by “Numath”: A Summary of a Videotaped Experimental Report

This paper summarizes a videotaped presentation (Rumbaugh, Savage-Rumbaugh, Hopkins, Washburn, & Runfeldt, 1987) of computerized training programs whereby an adult female chimpanzee, Lana (Pan troglodytes), learned to use a joystick to remove from a screen the number of boxes appropriate to the value of a randomly selected Arabic numeral 1, 2, or 3. Initial training provided a variety of cues, both numeric and otherwise, to support correct performance. Across software programs, all cues other than numeric ones were deleted. In the final test, Lana was correct on over 80% of trials in which there was no residual feedback of intratrial events and where only her memory of those events could provide the cue to indicate that she had removed boxes in accordance with the value of the target numbers and should terminate the trial. The tape is narrated and consists of video recordings of Lana's performance on each software program.     

GROUP TRAINING OF CONSERVATION SKILLS WITH CHILDREN FROM A NON-TECHNOLOGICAL CULTURE*

Group training of conservation of length was undertaken with primary school children in Botswana. Each group contained 10 subjects of mixed academic ability. Three methods of training were used: (1) teacher demonstration accompanied by responsive group recitation, (2) limited manipulation of training materials by students, (3) full manipulation of training materials by students. The three training methods were effective in producing learning, retention, and generalization of conservation. The results are discussed in terms of Piaget's views on the role of environmental influences and the function of action in the development of cognitive structures. The value of Piagetian concepts for non-technological societies also is discussed.