Burhoe's Second-Hand Influence

Many of us not part of the "old Burhoe gang" are nonetheless deeply influenced by the ideas of Ralph Wendell Burhoe, albeit in indirect ways. This remembrance summarizes six such ways: Three are "procedural" influences, namely (1) that dialogue is most valuable, especially in the science/religion interface, when carried on among those who may not agree; (2) that scholarship is necessary to refine and improve preliminary opinions; and (3) that organizations are crucial to accomplishing the first two tasks. The three "substantive" influences are (4) Burhoe's focus on human values; (5) his work in defining God; and (6) his contribution to defining what it means to be human. As is well known, his emphasis in all three substantive cases was on the power and nuances of biological and social evolution, especially on the dynamics of natural selection.     

THE EFFECTS OF CONTINGENT AND NONCONTINGENT REWARDS ON THE I.Q. SCORES OF CHILDREN OF ABOVE-AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE1

This study investigated the effects of candy reinforcement on I.Q. test scores in first and second graders of above-average intelligence. Thirty-six subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups and either given candy contingent on correct responses, noncontingently, or not given candy. After measuring all subjects on Form L of the revised Stanford Binet, each subject in the contingent group was given an M & M immediately following each correct answer on Form M, while a yoked-comparison subject received the same number of M & M's before responding to a question and therefore without regard to correctness of answers. It was expected that both types of candy administration would produce higher I.Q. change scores than the no-candy control group, but there were no statistically significant differences among the three treatments. The differences between the first and second test scores were 4.17 (contingent), 4.67 (noncontingent), and 1.00 (no reinforcement). Reasons for this failure to replicate previous findings were discussed.     

A comprehensive dining program for mentally retarded adults

Twenty-six types of behavior (e.g. uses fork in socially appropriate manner, chews food before swallowing) were treated in a course of independence training, using 80 institutionalized retarded adults (40 experimentals and 40 no-treatment controls). The 3-month long training phase incorporated a number of treatment components including in vivo modeling, peer social reinforcement, self-evaluation and monitoring; then a four-month follow-up. A group (i.e. experimentals and controls) by sex, by time, analysis of variance was computed with repeated measures on the last dimension (pre, post, follow-up measures = time). A significant difference was obtained between the experimentals and controls on post-test and follow-up     

PILLS OR SKILLS FOR HYPERACTIVE CHILDREN

The controversial nature of drug treatment of hyperactivity, the incidence and sequelae of hyperactivity, and problems of differential diagnosis of hyperactivity versus aggression were discussed. The effects of psychostimulant medication and behavior therapy on hyperactive children were reviewed with regard to effects on their social and academic behavior. Both treatments have resulted in clear short-term changes in social behavior but neither long-term academic nor long-term social effects have been shown with either treatment. Short-term effects on academic behavior have resulted from behavioral interventions but not from psychostimulants. However, the interventions have been too brief to allow one to draw unequivocal conclusions about the clinical efficacy of behavioral treatments. Although there have been long-term evaluations of psychostimulant therapy, there have not been any evaluations of long-term behavioral treatment programs for hyperactive children. Given the salutary short-term effects of behavior therapy with hyperactive children, extended clinical trials of behavior therapy need to be conducted. Finally, specific directions are suggested for future research.     

Social skills training for juvenile delinquents

Twenty-seven incarcerated juvenile delinquents matched on the number of previous offenses, age, WISC-R IQ, and locus of control were assigned to a Social Skills. Discussion or Control group. Social skills training consisted of instruction, feedback, modeling, behavior rehearsal, social reinforcement and graduated homework assignments. All subjects were assessed before and after treatment on a variety of self-report, role-play and behavioral measures. Analyses of variance for difference scores indicated that the Social Skills group improved significantly more than the Discussion and Control groups, which did not differ. Appropriate interpersonal skills were learned, state anxiety was reduced, internal locus of control was increased, and significant shifts in adjustment to the institutional program were evidenced for the Social Skills group.     

Children's use of imagery in accessing different types of semantic information

Semantic retrieval was examined in second graders under an induced imagery and a control condition. Two types of animal properties, perceptual and functional, were presented to children for verification. Properties were high and low in rated association strength; the size of the property (i.e., large vs small) was also manipulated in the case of perceptual meaning. Results suggest that young children rely on imagery in semantic retrieval; however, second graders are also adept at processing functional as well as perceptual meaning, and at using an abstract memory accessing system. Thus, considerable flexibility is evidenced by subjects in semantic retrieval.     

中医概念分析

中医是随着西医传入创立的新概念,是对中国传统汉族医学的简称,代表着中国古代文化发展的水平,蕴涵着大量的医学经验,在文化和科学研究范式方面与现代医学有明显区别。     

Principles of good clinical practice (GCP) in clinical research

Good Clinical Practice is an international quality standard for conducting trials that involve participation of human subjects. Currently, the most widely accepted international document forming the base for GCP is the ICH Harmonised Tripartite Guideline for GCP, which defines in detail the responsibilities and obligations of parties engaged in clinical research. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how compliance with GCP provides protection of the trial subjects and assures quality and credibility of the data obtained. An earlier version of this paper was presented at a symposium, Scientific Misconduct: An International Perspective, organised by The Medical University of Warsaw, 16 November, 1998.     

Technology in Medicine: Ontology,Epistemology, Ethics and Social Philosophy at the Crossroads

In reference to the different approaches in philosophy(of medicine) of the nature of (medical) technology,this article introduces the topic of this specialissue of Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, that is,the way the different forms of medical technologyfunction in everyday medical practice. The authorselaborate on the active role technology plays inshaping our views on disease, illness, and the body,whence in shaping our world.     

Philosophy of science in Hungary

The report gives a survey of the Hungarian philosophy of science after 1973. The report throws some light on the history of Hungarian philosophy in the context of the political circumstances of the late sixties and seventies. It starts with the not so well-known history of persecution of philosophers in 1973. Then it treats the emergence of the philosophy of science focussing on the most significant representatives of this branch of philosophy, which was up to that time almost unknown in Hungary. Due to the fact that the important results in Hungarian philosophy of science run parallel with the reception and translation of the significant products of Western philosophy, such as Wittgenstein's, Popper's, Kuhn's, or Polanyi's works, the report gives relatively significant room to treat these achievements. The last part of the report presents a survey of the younger generation of the philosophers of science, concentrating on the most important insights.It is the sad duty of the editor to inform readers that Dr. Gabriella Ujlaki died shortly after finishing this Report.