A pharmacological examination of the resistance-to-change hypothesis of response strength.

The effects of d-amphetamine sulfate, sodium pentobarbital, haloperidol, and cholecystokinin-octapeptide were examined within the context of Nevin's (1974, 1979) resistance-to-change hypothesis of response strength. In three experiments, rats' responding was reinforced by delivery of food under chained random-interval 30-s random-interval 30-s, multiple fixed-interval 30-s fixed-interval 120-s, or multiple random-interval 30-s random-interval 120-s schedules. Each rat received several doses of each drug and changes in response rate were measured. The resistance-to-change hypothesis predicts greater disruption of response rate relative to baseline in the initial component of the chained schedule and in the 120-s component of the multiple schedules. In the chained schedule cholecystokinin-octapeptide produced greater reductions in response rate relative to baseline in the initial component. However, no differences between components were observed with haloperidol or sodium pentobarbital, and high doses of d-amphetamine reduced response rate in the terminal component relatively more than in the initial component. In the multiple schedules either no differences were observed between components or response rate was reduced more relative to baseline in the 30-s component. The data fail to support the notion that drugs may be viewed within the same context as other response disruptors such as extinction, satiation, and the presentation of alternative reinforcement.     

A comparison of analysis methods to estimate contingency strength

To date, several data analysis methods have been used to estimate contingency strength, yet few studies have compared these methods directly. To compare the relative precision and sensitivity of four analysis methods (i.e., exhaustive event‐based, nonexhaustive event‐based, concurrent interval, concurrent+lag interval), we applied all methods to a simulated data set in which several response‐dependent and response‐independent schedules of reinforcement were programmed. We evaluated the degree to which contingency strength estimates produced from each method (a) corresponded with expected values for response‐dependent schedules and (b) showed sensitivity to parametric manipulations of response‐independent reinforcement. Results indicated both event‐based methods produced contingency strength estimates that aligned with expected values for response‐dependent schedules, but differed in sensitivity to response‐independent reinforcement. The precision of interval‐based methods varied by analysis method (concurrent vs. concurrent+lag) and schedule type (continuous vs. partial), and showed similar sensitivities to response‐independent reinforcement. Recommendations and considerations for measuring contingencies are identified.     

Contemporary Psychotherapy: Moving Beyond a Therapeutic Dialogue

Psychotherapy was developed as a means of using words to heal emotional pain. Although a therapeutic dialogue can be helpful to many clients, some people need a more action-based intervention. Psychotherapy may be enhanced by adapting several therapeutic procedures that have been found effective in physical therapy. Where physical therapy can help clients learn to manage chronic physical pain, psychotherapy can help clients learn to manage chronic emotional pain. Both physical therapy and psychotherapy can help to facilitate awareness, flexibility, strength and endurance in order to maximize the clients functional ability.     

情绪劳动策略对主动破坏行为的影响

如何开展员工情绪劳动管理,避免负面行为结果,是服务行业面对的重要问题。以788名呼叫中心员工为研究对象,本文获得的结果表明:1)表层动作显著促进主动破坏行为,而深层动作的影响不显著。2)政策强度感知显著调节表层动作与主动破坏行为间关系;当政策强度感知较低时,表层动作对主动破坏行为的正向影响更为显著。3)情感社会分享显著调节深层动作与主动破坏行为间关系;当情感社会分享水平较高时,深层动作对主动破坏行为的负向影响更为显著。本研究从资源保存视角提出工作场所开展情绪劳动管理的有效策略。     

Memory-based versus on-line processing: Implications for attitude strength

Three experiments tested whether the manner in which attitudes are created—through on-line or memory-based processing—can impact the resultant strength of those attitudes. In each study, participants were presented with 20 behavioral statements about a person named Marie. Whereas some participants were asked to continually evaluate Marie based upon each sentence and then report their overall evaluation (on-line processing), others were asked to focus on the sentence structure and to evaluate Marie only after they had read all the sentences (memory-based processing). Even when controlling for attitude accessibility, attitudes created through on-line processing were stronger than attitudes created through memory-based processing: Experiment 1 showed that participants in the on-line condition felt more certain of their attitudes, Experiment 2 showed that on-line attitudes were better predictors of participants’ evaluative preferences, while Experiment 3 showed that on-line attitudes manifested stronger attitude-behavioral intention correspondence.     

Motivational Effects of Outcome Feedback on Motor Performance

This study examined the effects of success and failure feedback on subsequent motor performance. Based upon the general motivation (or level-of-aspiration) hypothesis, initial success should lead to better subsequent performance than does initial failure, while the reverse prediction was derived from the cognitive dissonance theory. To test these rival hypotheses, two experiments were conducted on undergraduate male students (n =120) performing a motor maze task. Initial failure improved subjects’ subsequent performance, thus supporting the dissonance theory. However, this effect was observed only under low-ego-involving conditions, thereby suggesting that the effects of dissonance and ego involvement are interdependent. The findings were discussed in terms of motivational and informational/attributional effects of outcome feedback on motor performance.     

儿童青少年优秀品质的基本特点与模式*

采用优势行动价值问卷儿童青少年版（VIA-Youth）对947名城市儿童青少年进行调查,以探究儿童青少年优秀品质的基本特点,包括各种优秀品质的性别及年龄特点,以及儿童青少年优秀品质的组合模式等。研究得出以下结论：在24种优秀品质中,儿童青少年得分最高的5种分别是领导力、信仰、审慎、谦虚和正直,得分最低的5种为幽默、善良慷慨、感恩、宽容和好奇心。男生的好奇心得分显著高于女生,女生的情感智力和自我控制得分显著高于男生,在其他优秀品质上不存在显著性别差异;除创造力、信仰等5种优秀品质以外,八年级青少年的优秀品质得分均显著高于五年级儿童。潜剖面分析表明,儿童青少年优秀品质表现为高优秀品质组、中等略低优秀品质组和低优秀品质组3种不同的组合模式,3种组合模式的分布不存在显著的性别和年级差异。     

群体断层强度测量指标的构建与检验：一个整合的视角

群体断层概念近些年来在理论和实证研究方面都取得了重要的进展, 但有关断层强度的测量却始终呈现出滞后的态势。已有的文献表明只有FLS, Fau和PMD三个指标对群体断层强度进行了系统而完整的测量, 且三个指标都表现出相当的稳健性。尽管如此, 三大指标却都没有能够反映断层宽度这个重要维度。本研究在以往文献的基础上构建了整合群体断层强度测量指标, 很好地解决了这一问题。整合群体断层强度指标具体表现为亚群体内部一致性、亚群体间差异性和断层宽度的乘积。我们从以往研究中提炼了10个准则对新构建的指标进行了检验, 结果显示, 整合群体断层强度指标要显著优于以往的测度, 10个准则全部能够很好地拟合。本研究最后讨论了基于主观感知的断层强度的测量问题, 并提出了采用回归系数作为衡量亚群体间距离的PMD改进算法。     

Within-subject testing of the signaled-reinforcement effect on operant responding as measured by response rate and resistance to change

Response rates under random-interval schedules are lower when a brief (500 ms) signal accompanies reinforcement than when there is no signal. The present study examined this signaled-reinforcement effect and its relation to resistance to change. In Experiment 1, rats responded on a multiple random-interval 60-s random-interval 60-s schedule, with signaled reinforcement in only one component. Response resistance to alternative reinforcement, prefeeding, and extinction was compared between these components. Lower response rates, and greater resistance to change, occurred in the component with the reinforcement signal. In Experiment 2, response rates and resistance to change were compared after training on a multiple random-interval 60-s random-interval 60-s schedule in which reinforcer delivery was unsignaled in one component and a response-produced uncorrelated stimulus was presented in the other component. Higher response rates and greater resistance to change occurred with the uncorrelated stimulus. These results highlight the significance of considering the effects of an uncorrelated signal when used as a control condition, and challenge accounts of resistance to change that depend solely on reinforcer rate.     

Note on the Scope of Truth-functional Logic

A plausible and popular rule governing the scope of truth-functional logic is shown to be indequate. The argument appeals to the existence of truth-functional paraphrases which are logically independent of their natural language counterparts. A more adequate rule is proposed.