MEMORY PROCESSES IN DELAYED SPATIAL DISCRIMINATIONS: RESPONSE INTENTIONS OR RESPONSE MEDIATION?

Pigeons were trained on a pair-comparison task in which left versus right choices were reinforced following different sequences of two center-key stimuli. Choice accuracy was higher when retention intervals occurred after the entire sequence than when they separated the two stimuli comprising it, and this effect occurred independently of whether the initial and terminal stimuli came from the same or different dimensions. The initial stimulus from the prior trial was a source of proactive interference only in groups for which the retention interval separated the two sequence stimuli. By contrast, differential delay-interval behavior was observed only in groups for which the retention interval followed presentation of the entire sequence. These results indicate that coding processes in delayed discriminations are influenced by the location of the retention interval, and that response mediation affects retention performances if the reinforced choice can be determined prior to the interval.     

初级指挥官人格类型与PM领导行为类型有效性的关系

通过对陆军初级指挥官人格心理类型与领导行为有效性的心理学研究 ,探讨个人的领导潜能、人格心理类型对领导行为有效性的影响。研究发现 :1方差分析表明 ,具有不同领导行为的指挥官在人格维度上存在明显的统计学差异。提示了指挥官的领导行为取向与人格因素有密切的关系。2卡方分析结果也表明 ,PM型行为的军官在其人格特征上具有“ESTJ”组合特征 ,而 pm型的军官则正好相反 ;另外 ,pm型的军官在成就动机上获得高分的人数最少。3系统聚类分析显示 ,“成就动机”、“感觉”和“判断”三种人格因素与军事指挥官完成整体领导职能有着更为密切的关系。     

追踪作业中几种心理负荷评估指标敏感性的研究

本研究在模拟追踪作业情境下 ,对主任务绩效测定、主观评定和若干生理测量在心理负荷评估中的敏感性进行了实验。实验采用重复测量的被试者内设计 ,2 0名被试 (男女各半 )在六档负荷下分别从事五分钟追踪作业。所选用的指标有追踪作业平均误差距离、追踪警告次数、主观负荷评定、心率、心率变异和血压。结果发现 :1主任务绩效在评估追踪作业心理负荷中具有最高的敏感性 ,主观评定次之 ,心率变化率和心率变异变化率也随负荷变化 ,血压指标随负荷变化的趋势不明显 ;2除血压指标外 ,其余各指标之间均存在明显的相关 ,这提示它们在评估追踪作业心理负荷中具有较大的可靠性。     

Attenuation of Hippocampal 11beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 by Chronic Psychosocial Stress in the Tree Shrew

11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD-1) catalyses the interconversion of active cortisol and corticosterone with inert cortisone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone, thus regulating glucocorticoid access to intracellular receptors. In rats, chronic glucocorticoid excess or stress increases 11beta-HSD-1 in the hippocampus, producing suggestions that it may attenuate the deleterious effects of chronic glucocorticoid excess. However, 11beta-HSD-1 predominantly catalyses 11beta-reduction in the intact liver and hippocampal cells, thus regenerating active glucocorticoids from inert substrate. We studied 11beta-HSD activity in the tissues of male tree shrews following 28 days of sustained psychosocial stress or exogenous administration of cortisol. In the hippocampus, chronic psychosocial stress attenuated 11-HSD-1 activity (69 +/- 9% of control), whereas cortisol alone had no effect. In the liver, both chronic stress and cortisol administration decreased 11beta-HSD-1 activity (47 +/- 11% and 49 +/- 4% fall, resp.). Attenuation of 11beta-HSD-1 within tissues may reflect a homeostatic mechanism designed to minimise the adverse effects of prolonged stress and/or glucocorticoid excess.     

Clinical pragmatism: a method of moral problem solving

This paper presents a method of moral problem solving in clinical practice that is inspired by the philosophy of John Dewey. This method, called "clinical pragmatism," integrates clinical and ethical decision making. Clinical pragmatism focuses on the interpersonal processes of assessment and consensus formation as well as the ethical analysis of relevant moral considerations. The steps in this method are delineated and then illustrated through a detailed case study. The implications of clinical pragmatism for the use of principles in moral problem solving are discussed.     

Developing local lifelong guidance strategies

The background, rationale, methodology and outcomes of a project on developing local lifelong guidance strategies in four areas are outlined. The main components of the strategies developed in the four areas are analysed, and a number of issues relating to the process of strategy development are addressed. Much of the lack of coherence at local level stems from lack of coherence at national policy level: implications for national policy are examined. Finally, implications for parallel work in other localities are explored.     

The specific action of different personality risk factors on cancer of the breast, cervix, corpus uteri and other types of cancer: A prospective investigation

We report the results of a prospective study of a random sample of 1353 elderly but healthy men and women who were followed up for a period of 10 yr, when mortality and cause of death were ascertained. Overall results have been reported elsewhere for mortality from cancer, coronary heart disease and other causes; here we are concerned with the personality factors predicting breast cancer, cervical cancer, cancer of the corpus uteri specifically, as well as other types of cancer in women. Ten specific hypotheses were tested, using specially constructed questionnaires for the purpose, and for most of these statistically significant support was obtained. The results justify belief that specific types of cancer may be related to specific stress/personality factors.