The opponent process theory and affective reactions

Solomon (1980) proposed an opponent process theory to account for motivational and affective dynamics. This theory asserts that the brain avoids extremes of emotional experience by countering the stimulation it receives with an opposite or opponent reaction. Opponent processes are thought to be responsible for the characteristic changes in affective experience that occur over time, and to account for the dynamics of affective response to such stimuli as skydiving and sauna bathing, which have heretofore been difficult to explain. However, the relevance of this theory for affective experiences in general (beyond physical stimuli and addictions) has yet to be demonstrated. The present paper examines opponent process theory predictions in two settings, involving affective responses to situation-scenarios and emotion-provoking slides. In each study, significant habituation to both positive and negative affective stimuli was found, as the opponent process theory would predict. Subjects also showed a reversal of affect when the stimuli were reversed from positive to negative or vice versa. However, contrary to opponent process theory predictions, there was no evidence that withdrawal responses were greater after habituation to the affective stimulus. The only instance of a significant difference in withdrawal responses was actually in a direction opposite to that which the opponent process theory predicts. All other predicted differences were not significant. The opponent process theory, therefore, was not supported in these data and appears to need revision or qualification as to its domains of application.     

Measurement and quantification of stereotypy in freely behaving subjects: An information analysis

Stereotypy is typically defined as abnormal, repetitive, and purposeless motor behavior. In this study, stereotypy was more rigorously and generally defined in terms ofH, the typical metric for entropy, and was measured using computer-driven analyses of filtered and digitized video records. This technique was validated using rats treated with d-amphetamine, which has been shown to be an effective stimulant of traditionally defined stereotypy in a wide variety of species. Rats were treated with 0, 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg body weight d-amphetamine sulfate, and their unrestrained behavior was recorded on videotape. Our results confirm previous research that found stereotypy to occur at high doses of amphetamine. However, the present measure of stereotypy brought out additional complexities. Our results indicate that stereotypy occurred at significant levels with low drug doses, and, furthermore, that stereotypy in general was highly dependent upon the level of behavioral complexity considered. Finally, we discuss the advantages of the present metric for studying stereotypy.     

A demonstration of a token economy for the real world

Token economies are rarely used in real-world psychiatric settings because of barriers to their implementation, such an institutional constraints and insufficient collegial support. The line-level treatment team at Elgin Mental Health Center was able to overcome these contraints and develop a user-friendly token economy. This article describes Elgin's simple yet effective token economy and the process used to develop it.     

The Metaphysical Expositions of Space and Time

The direct proof of transcendental idealism, in the Transcendental Aesthetic of Kant's First Critique, has borne the brunt of enormous criticism. Much of this criticism has arisen from a confusion regarding the epistemological nature of the arguments Kant proposes with the alleged ontological conclusions he draws. In this paper I attempt to deflect this species of criticism. I concentrate my analysis on the Metaphysical Expositions of Space and Time. I argue that the argument form of the Metaphysical Expositions is that of disjunctive syllogism and that Kant's primary target of attack is that of Leibnizian relativism. I provide a detailed analysis and reconstruction of the arguments of the Metaphysical Expositions, defending Kant against various claims of argumentative invalidity and incoherence. I conclude by identifying what can properly be inferred regarding the ontological nature of space and time, given my reconstructions of the arguments, and by suggesting the manner in which Kant can deflect objections from the other major proponent of transcendental realism, namely, Newtonian absolutism.     

The missing fundamental in vowel height perception

Traunmüller (1981) suggested that the tonotopic distance between the first formant (F ₁) and the fundamental frequency (F ₀) is a major determinant of perceived vowel height. In the present study, subjects identified a vowel-height continuum ranging in formant pattern from /?/ to /ε/, at fiveF ₀ values. IncreasingF ₀ led to an increased probability of /I/ responses (i.e., the phoneme boundary shifted toward the /ε/ end of the continuum). Various conditions of filtering out the lower harmonics of the stimuli caused only marginal shifts of the phoneme boundary. The experiments provide evidence against interpretations of Traunmüller’s (1981) results that claim that vowel height is determined by the distance betweenF ₁ and the lowest harmonic that is present in the basilar membrane excitation pattern.     

Studies in intuitive personology from an idiothetic point of view: Implications for personality theory

Following Lamiell's (1981) critique of the individual differences approach to the scientific study of personality, questions have arisen concerning (a) the nature of the empirical research to which the “idiotheric” framework he proposed as an alternative has thus far led, and (b) the wider theoretical implications of that research. The present article seeks to address these questions within the medium of research on the nature of the reasoning process by which lay persons formulate and express subjective personality impressions. It is argued that the findings of this research offer strong empirical support for a conception of the intuitive personologist as a dialectician. Among other things, the discussion of these findings focuses on their implications for a humanistic conception of the relation between cognition and behavior, and thus of personality more broadly defined.     

Draw-a-Person techniques: Tests in search of a construct

Drawing techniques involving human figures have been a part of psychologists' test batteries for most of this century. One of the earliest and most popular of these techniques is the Draw A Person test (DAP). Recently, Draw A Person: A Quantitative Scoring System, a new drawing technique, was published. This article reviews the concurrent validity data for this new measure and many of its predecessors, and concludes that the latest DAP is strikingly similar to its forebears. While the DAP is the best drawing technique available, its concurrent validity evidence does not support the use of such instruments as measures of intelligence.     

The Role of Affective Dispositions in Job Satisfaction and Work Strain: Comparing Collectivist and Individualist Societies

The individualism-collectivism dimension cuts across the East and the West. It explains the differing values and cultural breeding that are necessary in acculturating people's affective and cognitive behaviours in accordance with the culture to which they belong. Many empirical studies have investigated the effects of personality traits on job satisfaction and work strain. The personality of individuals affects how they perceive the impact of job satisfaction and work stress. Furthermore, personality traits are influenced by cultural background. This study surveyed 626 nurses from collectivist and individualist societies to find out the possible difference in the role of affective dispositions in self-reported job satisfaction and work strain between these two cultural orientations.