Motivational effects of smoked marijuana: behavioral contingencies and low-probability activities.

Six adult male research volunteers, in two groups of 3 subjects each, lived in a residential laboratory for 15 days. All contact with the experimenters was through a networked computer system, and subjects' behavior was monitored continuously and recorded. During the first part of each day, they were allowed to socialize. Two cigarettes containing active marijuana (2.7% delta 9-THC) or placebo were smoked during the private work period and the period of access to social activities. Three-day contingency conditions requiring subjects to engage in a low-probability work activity (instrumental activity) in order to earn time that could be spent engaging in a high-probability work activity (contingent activity) were programmed during periods of placebo and active-marijuana smoking. During placebo administration, the contingency requirement reliably increased the amount of time that subjects spent engaged in the low-probability instrumental activity and decreased the time spent engaged in the high-probability activity. During active-marijuana administration, however, the increases in instrumental activity were consistently larger than observed under placebo conditions. The decreases in contingent activity were similar to those seen under placebo conditions. Smoking active marijuana was thus observed to produce increments in instrumental activity under motivational conditions involving contingencies for "work activities."     

The effect of context during word perception in schizophrenic patients

Hospitalized chronic and acute schizophrenics were compared with age- and social-status-matched controls on word perception tests to measure the effect of context on recognition thresholds. In Experiment 1 the method of J. Morton (1964, British Journal of Psychology, 55, 165-180) was adopted to see how related and unrelated contexts influenced word recognition thresholds when both context and stimulus word were presented visually. Experiment 2 was an auditory analog of Experiment 1 and in addition the chronic schizophrenics were selected on the basis of a presence or absence of auditory hallucinations. The influence of context on perceptual thresholds was quite normal in all schizophrenics. However, analysis of the incorrect responses elicited showed that some schizophrenic subjects do produce bizarre or irrelevant responses or perseveration to a greater extent than their controls. These results are explained in terms of automatic and strategic modes of information processing. The automatic processes responsible for the adjustment of perceptual thresholds operate normally in schizophrenics but response production which demands strategic selection and editing of responses is prone to malfunction which results in the observed deviations in the normal use of language.     

THE EFFECTS OF ACCESS TO SPECIAL ACTIVITIES ON THE PERFORMANCE IN FOUR CATEGORIES OF ACADEMIC TASKS WITH THIRD-GRADE STUDENTS1

An ABAB experimental design was used to evaluate the effects of access to recreational activities contingent on the completion of at least 80% of academic tasks assigned daily. Requirements in four task categories (writing, copying words, spelling, and dictionary skills) were specified daily and students were required to complete at least 80% of the requirements in each category correctly in order to participate in daily recreational activities. The procedure produced reliable and educationally important increases in the task performance of all 19 third-grade students in the study. Most of the difference in the performance of each child between experimental conditions was on the spelling and dictionary tasks, although there were also improvements on the writing and words-copied tasks for those students showing the greatest overall change in performance. The procedure was easily implemented by the teacher alone, required only materials and equipment typically found in elementary schools, and produced changes in performance important enough to the teacher that she continued to use the basic procedure after the evaluation program was terminated.     

Using activity schedules to promote varied application use in children with autism

We evaluated the effects of an activity schedule embedded within an iPad on varied play across applications. After establishing a pattern of repetitive gameplay, we taught three children with autism to follow the activity schedule using physical guidance. All participants increased their varied play to four applications per session and demonstrated independent and accurate activity schedule usage. The activity schedule was removed, and responding decreased to baseline levels, demonstrating the activity schedule's control over varied responding. The activity schedule was reintroduced and participant responding maintained when engaging with novel applications.     

学前儿童迷走神经活动与情绪反应、情绪调节及冲动性的关系

Porges的多迷走神经理论提出迷走神经活动(vagal activity)与儿童的情绪及社会行为密切联系,已有研究探讨了儿童迷走神经活动与儿童的情绪反应及调节的关系,但研究结论不够清晰,需要进一步研究澄清。本研究选取93名4-6岁学前儿童被试,运用生理测量手段与呼吸性窦性心律不齐(respiratory sinus arrhythmia,RSA)分析的方法,采用父母报告的学前儿童情绪反应强度、情绪调节能力、冲动性为结果变量,进一步探讨儿童迷走神经活动(以基线RSA、RSA撤出、RSA恢复为指标)与情绪反应、情绪调节及冲动性的关系。研究发现:(1)基线RSA与儿童情绪反应强度显著负相关,与儿童情绪调节能力显著正相关,基线RSA是儿童情绪反应强度显著负向预测因子,是儿童情绪调节能力的显著正向预测因子;(2)RSA撤出、RSA恢复性与儿童冲动性显著负相关,是儿童冲动性显著负向预测因子。研究结果支持了Porges的多迷走神经理论,表明迷走神经活动与儿童情绪反应、情绪调节及冲动性密切联系。     

Predictors of adherence to aerobic exercise in rectal cancer patients during and after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy

This pilot study explored predictors of adherence to exercise during and after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) in rectal cancer patients. Eighteen rectal cancer patients were prescribed three supervised aerobic exercise sessions/week during NACRT followed by ≥150 min/week of unsupervised aerobic exercise after NACRT. Although not statistically significant, adherence to supervised exercise during NACRT was meaningfully better for patients who were women (d = .82; P = .12), younger (d = ?.62; P = .30), married (d = .62; P = .42), with better mental health (r = .32; P = .21), fewer diarrhea symptoms (r = .48; P = .052), and higher anticipated enjoyment (r = .31; P = .23), support (r = .32; P = .22), and motivation (r = .31; P = .23). After NACRT, adherence was significantly better for patients who reported worse mental health (r = ?.56; P = .046) and meaningfully better for patients who were women (d = .54; P = .38), better educated (d = .77; P = .22), had no comorbidities (d = ?.63; P = .17), and exercised at baseline (d = 1.05; P = .12). Demographics, tumor side effects, and motivational variables may predict adherence to exercise during and after NACRT.     

Natural disaster induced cognitive disruption: impacts on action slips

Previous research has indicated an increase in stress levels and cognitive intrusions after natural disasters. These previous studies have not, however, assessed the impact disaster induced cognitive disruption has on human performance. In the present report, we investigated the impact of the 7.1 magnitude 2010 Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake on self-reported earthquake-induced cognitive disruption and its relationship to performance on the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART). Participants who self-reported greater cognitive disruption induced by the earthquake also had higher levels of errors of commission during SART (r = .80, p < .001). This was even the case when controlling for earthquake-induced anxiety, depression, participant sex, and self-reported sleep amount. Post-disaster assessments need to include the impact of the events directly on cognitive self-regulation and conscious thoughts, in addition to more clinical constructs, such as anxiety and depression.     

Exploring the mechanism of dishabituation

In this study we explored elicitation and habituation of the orienting reflex (OR) in the context of indifferent and significant stimuli, particularly aiming to clarify the mechanism driving dishabituation. An in-depth analysis of the mechanisms of electrodermal habituation and dishabituation was conducted, focusing on the role of state measures as determinants of the phasic response profile. Twenty-four young adult participants completed an auditory dishabituation task while electrodermal activity was recorded. Participants listened to a series of 10 innocuous tones of the same frequency (standards), followed by a deviant tone of a different frequency, and succeeded by 2-4 tones of the same frequency as the initial 10 stimuli. All stimuli had a random stimulus onset asynchrony of 5-7 s. Participants completed an indifferent condition in which there was no task in relation to the stimuli, and a significant condition where instruction was given to count the stimuli silently; order was counterbalanced between participants. As predicted, both skin conductance responses (SCRs) and skin conductance levels (SCLs) were larger for the significant than the indifferent condition. The initial phasic ORs were dependent on pre-stimulus arousal level, and there were significant decreases in both SCR and SCL over the first 10 standards in both conditions. Phasic response recovery was apparent to the deviant stimulus, and dishabituation to the following standard stimulus; both effects were enhanced in the significant condition. Sensitisation was apparent in SCL following the initial and deviant stimuli, but the extent of this was confounded with incomplete resolution of the preceding phasic OR in the significant condition. In the indifferent condition, dishabituation was independent of deviant-related sensitisation; this could not be tested in the significant condition. These findings suggest that dishabituation is not a process of sensitisation, but rather, a disruption of the habituation process.     

Transmettre la relation de service par l’interaction tutorale: le cas des facteurs

Based on data gathered from naturalistic observation, the article analyses the communicative activity implemented by postmen involved in tutoring users and their apprentices. The occupational situation observed is that of mail distribution, and the critical moments selected are those which bring customer relations into play. We examine the role of the other in the way three tutors pass on their customer relations skills. We show that their means of interaction and understanding situations differ widely.     

Effects of action planning and coping planning within the theory of planned behaviour: A physical activity study of patients undergoing haemodialysis

Objective

Patients on dialysis have low physical activity levels. The aim of the study was to examine the validity of action planning and coping planning within the theory of planned behaviour framework, for predicting physical activity behaviour of patients on haemodialysis.

Design

This is a prospective study design.

Methods

One hundred and forty-four patients who were undergoing haemodialysis were selected from dialysis centres. The mean age of the patients was 56.61 (SD = 11.38) years. The patients completed a questionnaire including variables from the theory of planned behaviour, action planning and coping planning. Physical activity was prospectively assessed at 4-weeks with the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire self-report measure. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of action planning and coping planning on physical activity behaviour.

Results

There was a main effect for coping planning but not for action planning. Moreover, the analyses resulted in a significant amount of incremental variance accounted for by the interaction of coping planning and intention.

Conclusion

Results suggest the combination of high levels of coping planning and intention is associated with increases in physical activity.