The Influence of Predeployment Training on Coordination in Multinational Headquarters: The Moderating Role of Organizational Obstacles to Information Sharing

Coordination is critical to the success of multinational military operations and may be fostered by predeployment training. We argue that whether such training is related to a high degree of perceived coordination at the individual level is likely to depend on whether individuals experience a low degree of organizational obstacles to information sharing. We examined this using data from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Kosovo Force headquarters (survey: n = 131). We controlled for whether it was the participants’ first deployment, the participants’ background (military or civilian), the amount of time spent in the headquarters by participants, whether differences pertaining to culture and opinions were valued by the organization, the quality of supervisor/subordinate relationships, and the degree of national cultural obstacles to information sharing. The results showed no significant direct effects on coordination from 3 different training configurations: national training, multinational training, and a combination of national and multinational training. However, we found a negative direct effect from organizational obstacles to information sharing on coordination, and support for organizational obstacles to information sharing as negatively moderating the multinational predeployment training and coordination relationship. Qualitative interviews (n = 14) indicated that informal information sharing, and the problems exchanging information from tactical to operational levels could hinder coordination. Interventions to foster coordination could benefit from a focus on multinational training and lowering organizational obstacles to information sharing. Our findings contribute to more precisely pinpointing the types of training that are useful in multinational operations, as well as the factors upon which training transfer is contingent.     

False-positive tangible outcomes of functional analyses

Functional analysis (FA) methodology is the most precise method for identifying variables that maintain problem behavior. Occasionally, however, results of an FA may be influenced by idiosyncratic sensitivity to aspects of the assessment conditions. For example, data from several studies suggest that inclusion of a tangible condition during an FA may be prone to a false-positive outcome, although the extent to which tangible reinforcement routinely produces such outcomes is unknown. We examined susceptibility to tangible reinforcement by determining whether a new response was acquired more readily when exposed to a tangible contingency relative to others commonly used in an FA (Study 1), and whether problem behavior known not to have a social function nevertheless emerged when exposed to tangible reinforcement (Study 2). Results indicated that inclusion of items in the tangible condition should be done with care and that selection should be based on those items typically found in the individual's environment.     

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) spontaneously compute addition operations over large numbers

Mathematics is a uniquely human capacity. Studies of animals and human infants reveal, however, that this capacity builds on language-independent mechanisms for quantifying small numbers (<4) precisely and large numbers approximately. It is unclear whether animals and human infants can spontaneously tap mechanisms for quantifying large numbers to compute mathematical operations. Moreover, all available work on addition operations in non-human animals has confounded number with continuous perceptual properties (e.g. volume, contour length) that correlate with number. This study shows that rhesus monkeys spontaneously compute addition operations over large numbers, as opposed to continuous extents, and that the limit on this ability is set by the ratio difference between two numbers as opposed to their absolute difference.     

大学生问题发现过程的问题行为图研究

在潜藏式与矛盾式情境两类问题发现任务中,采用出声思维的方法研究问题发现能力高与低两类各10名大学生问题发现过程的内部认知活动。利用问题行为图技术进行个案分析,着重考察大学生在知识状态、思维操作及问题行为图等方面的表现。基于加工性质把知识编码为陈述性、程序性和策略性知识;基于信息来源编码为情境、内部和推断信息;基于思维关联与转换,把思维操作编码为独立、横向、纵向与元认知思维。研究表明:(1)问题发现中,在内部信息、纵向思维以及纵横交错型行为图的使用频次上,潜藏情境高于矛盾情境;在情境信息、横向思维以及横向平行和横向归纳型行为图的使用频次上,矛盾情境高于潜藏情境。(2)高低能力组被试在知识状态、思维操作与问题行为图的使用上差异均不显著,可能是由于上述方面涉及问题发现的基本认知过程和思维规律,具有普遍性特征。     

FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF ESCAPE-MAINTAINED AGGRESSION CORRELATED WITH SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Functional analysis identified the consequences that maintained aggressive behavior and the relationship between those consequences and sleep deprivation for an individual with severe mental retardation. Results showed that aggression was maintained by negative reinforcement contingencies (escape from demand) and that aggression was more severe when sleep deprivation was present. A multicomponent intervention resulted in reductions of aggression for up to 7 months.     

ESTABLISHING OPERATIONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ASSESSMENT,TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR

This paper seeks to integrate Michael's (1982, 1993) discussion of the concept of the establishing operation (EO) with existing conceptual and empirical analyses of problem behavior in people with developmental disabilities. The paper begins with a summary of Michael (1993), which seeks to describe his concept of the EO and place it briefly in historical context. The role of EOs in evoking and establishing motivation for problem behavior is considered in some detail. A case is made for the greater consideration of EOs in the functional analysis of problem behavior, and specific suggestions for detecting the operation of conditioned establishing operations are offered. Turning to treatment, the paper considers the role played by EOs in existing procedures and discusses the development of treatment strategies that seek to modify EOs, extinguish EOs, and modify the responses evoked by EOs. Finally, consideration is given to the implications of EOs for the more systemic treatment and prevention of problem behavior.     

题目类型对加法认知策略选择影响的比较研究

随机选取小学二、三年级数学学习不良组儿童各30名,数学学习正常组儿童各30名,采用实验法、观察法和口语报告法相结合的方式,考察了两类儿童在解决简单加法题目、复杂加法题目和连加加法题目时,问题结构类型对两类儿童加法策略选择的影响。结果发现,在不同类型加法题目中,小学二、三年级儿童的策略使用表现出对题目的适应性,数学学习正常儿童的适应性特点更加明显。     

8～11岁儿童解决加法等值问题的策略发展特点

本研究选取142名8～11岁儿童进行了加法等值问题测试,采用口头报告的方法考察了儿童解决加法等值问题的策略发展特点。研究表明:(1)儿童在解决加法等值问题中,策略具有多样性;(2)儿童在策略使用的数量上没有显著的年级差异,但在不同学习成绩的被试之间存在明显的不同;(3)总体上看儿童对正确策略的使用基本上都是随着年级的增加在逐渐提高,而对错误策略的使用却相反。