Two tails of the normal curve. Similarities and differences in the study of mental retardation and giftedness

Professionals in the fields of mental retardation and giftedness have much to teach each other as well as the field of human development in general. Examining the commonalities and differences between the fields in social issues, definitions, developmental differences from the norm, values and policy issues, and educational and long-term implications deepens insights about both normal and deviant development. The authors stress the importance of individual differences in the differential design of educational strategies and the application of approaches developed with specialized populations to normally developing children. Current social inequalities affect both of these fields in particular ways. Finally, numerous research agendas can be enhanced by including representatives of both ends of the normal curve.     

Optimistic bias among potential perpetrators and victims of youth violence

This study furthers the current understanding of optimistic bias regarding youth violence among high school students. Results from a survey of 387 urban high school students indicate a wide range of predictors of optimistic bias, including experience, demographics, and attitudes. Linkages to other developmental frameworks (personal fable and self-efficacy) suggest future directions for additional research.     

A neural network model of foraging decisions made under predation risk

This article develops the cognitive—emotional forager (CEF) model, a novel application of a neural network to dynamical processes in foraging behavior. The CEF is based on a neural network known as the gated dipole, introduced by Grossberg, which is capable of representing short-term affective reactions in a manner similar to Solomon and Corbit’s (1974) opponent process theory. The model incorporates a trade-off between approach toward food and avoidance of predation under varying levels of motivation induced by hunger. The results of simulations in a simple patch selection paradigm, using a lifetime fitness criterion for comparison, indicate that the CEF model is capable of nearly optimal foraging and outperforms a run-of-luck rule-of-thumb model. Models such as the one presented here can illuminate the underlying cognitive and motivational components of animal decision making.     

Poor recall of eye-movement signals from Stage 2 compared to REM sleep: implications for models of dreaming

An ongoing assumption made by sleep researchers is that since dreams are more often recalled on awakening from rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, dreams must occur more often during this stage of sleep. An alternative hypothesis is that cognition occurs throughout sleep, but the recall of this mentation differs on awakening. When a dream is not reported on awakening, there is no method of establishing whether it did not happen or was forgotten. The aim of the present study was to investigate this issue using an eye movement (EM) signal verification technique. Participants were instructed to produce an EM signal whenever they heard a tone. Tones were presented at increasing volume during Stage 2 and REM sleep until EM signal verification was observed. Ninety seconds after signal verification, participants were awakened and asked if they remembered hearing the tone or responding with the EM signal. Such recollection of signal verified tone (SVT) presentations was significantly less after Stage 2 sleep (65%) compared to REM sleep (100%) presentations. Furthermore, SVT recall was significantly correlated with reported dream recall frequency, suggesting the same processes involved in recalling SVTs might also underlie dream recall.     

Looking on the One We Have Pierced: Repentance,Resurrection, and Winnicott's “Capacity for Concern”

This work presents a view of Christian repentance as a process analogous to the development of Winnicott's capacity for concern and illuminated by Rowan Williams' theology of the Resurrection. One begins with fear of forfeiting one's attachment to the divine good mother, confronts the evidence of one's destructiveness in the Passion of Christ, experiences the risen Christ's object survival and acceptance of reparations, and attains a desire to contribute-in to God and neighbor.     

Lesions of orbitofrontal cortex and basolateral amygdala complex disrupt acquisition of odor-guided discriminations and reversals

Recent work indicates that both orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the basolateral complex of the amygdala (ABL) are involved in processes by which cues are associated with predicted outcomes. To examine the respective roles of these structures in discrimination learning, rats with bilateral sham or neurotoxic lesions of either OFC or ABL were trained on a series of four 2-odor discrimination problems in a thirst-motivated go, no-go task. After acquisition of the series of odor problems, the rats were trained on serial reversals of the final odor problem. Performance on each problem was assessed by monitoring accuracy of choice behavior, and also by measuring latency to respond for fluid outcomes after odor sampling. During discrimination learning, rats in both lesioned groups had similar deficits, failing to show normal changes in response latency during learning, while at the same time exhibiting normal choice behavior relative to controls. Choice behavior was affected only during the reversal phase of training, in which OFC and ABL lesions produced distinctive deficits. Rats with ABL lesions were impaired on the first reversal (S1−/S2+), but were unimpaired at acquiring a reversal back to the original odor-outcome contigencies (S1+/S2−), whereas rats with OFC lesions were impaired on both types of reversals. These findings suggest that OFC and ABL serve partially overlapping roles in the use of incentive information that supports normal discrimination performance.