Characterizing adult cognitive development

A paradigm of adult cognitive development is elaborated that is derived from concepts inherent in the study of consistency and change during the adult years. It is argued that the antecedents and consequences of adult cognition are substantially different from those that pertain to earlier growth-oriented developmental periods and to later decline-oriented periods. Adult cognition and its development are characterized in terms of adaptive competencies in specific domains, elasticity of function within selected domains, and knowledge encapsulation. Another major characteristic of adult development is that knowledge and computation are integrated or encapsulated with experience and use. It is suggested that these characteristics serve to distinguish adult cognitive development from the discontinuous emerging properties of earlier cognitive development and from the general deficiencies of cognitive function that are characteristic of very late life.     

PROVIDING A LESS RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR PROFOUNDLY RETARDED PERSONS BY TEACHING INDEPENDENT WALKING SKILLS

A basic right of all handicapped persons is to live in the least restrictive environment possible. In this investigation, procedures were evaluated for teaching four institutionalized males with profound retardation necessary skills to increase their individual freedom of movement. Following baseline, a travel training program with a backward chaining format was implemented to teach each person to walk independently from his living area to school. Travel training included instructions, practice, praise, feedback, verbal reprimands, prompts, and edible reinforcers. Each resident began walking the entire distance to school independently during training and also began walking back to the living area, although the latter set of skills was not specifically trained. Following termination of the formal investigation, follow-up measures of 1 to 8 weeks showed the residents continued going to school independently. A survey of residential facilities in 43 states provided social validation for the seriousness of the problems associated with transporting seriously retarded persons to school. Also, time efficiency measures indicated that training independent travel resulted in reductions of staff time required in school transportation. Results were discussed in light of the potential contributions of behavior analysis in providing less restrictive environments for seriously handicapped persons.     

Contingency-shaped and rule-governed behavior: instructional control of human loss avoidance

Instructions can override the influence of programmed schedules of reinforcement. Although this finding has been interpreted as a limitation of reinforcement schedule control in humans, an alternative approach considers instructional control, itself, as a phenomenon determined by subjects' reinforcement histories. This approach was supported in a series of experiments that studied instructional and schedule control when instructions either did or did not accord with the schedule of reinforcement. Experiment I demonstrated that accurate instructions control discriminative performances on multiple avoidance schedules, and that such control persists in a novel discrimination. Experiments II and III showed that elimination of instruction-following occurs when inaccurate instructions cause subjects to contact a monetary loss contingency. Experiment IV demonstrated the reinforcing properties of accurate instructions. Skinner's view of rule-governed behavior is consistent with these findings, and can be extended to account for many aspects of instructional control of human operant behavior.     

STIMULUS GENERALIZATION AND EQUIVALENCE CLASSES: A MODEL FOR NATURAL CATEGORIES

Two three-member classes were formed by training AB and BC using a conditional discrimination procedure. The A and B stimuli were nonsense syllables, and the C stimuli were sets of “short” or “long” lines. To test for equivalence, C1 or C2 was presented as a sample with A1 and A2 as comparisons. Once the class-related comparison was chosen consistently, different line lengths were substituted for the training lines in the CA tests. In general, the likelihood of choosing a given comparison was an inverse function of the difference in the length of the test line from the training line. Stimuli in an equivalence class became functionally related not only to each other but also to novel stimuli that resembled a member of the equivalence class. The combination of primary generalization and equivalence class formation, then, can serve as a model to account for the development of naturally occurring categories.     

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults: Implications for Theories of Diagnosis

The diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults has been a source of controversy, with some prominent researchers questioning its very existence and others suggesting it is an urgent clinical problem. This article reviews five domains of data addressing the validity of adult ADHD: clinical correlates, family history, treatment response, laboratory studies, and long-term outcome. It then shows how the debate over adult ADHD reflects a clash of theoretical paradigms and concludes by suggesting ways in which psychological science can collect the data needed to clarify the validity of adult ADHD.     

Emerging adult self-perception and link with adjustment to academic context among Female College Students

ObjectivesThis research aimed to investigate female emerging adult students’ self-perception in relation to their adjustment to academic context in France.MethodFirst, a preliminary study was a validation of the French version of the Self-Perception Profile for College Students (SPPCS, Neeman & Harter, 2012). Second, the study explored freshman year emerging adult females’ self-perception profiles based on the SPPCS, and their association with adjustment to academic context (depression and academic results).ResultsCluster analysis revealed seven self-perception profiles characterized by both global self-worth and self-esteem domains. These profiles were differently associated with positive and negative adjustment.ConclusionOverall, the findings highlight the importance of considering both global self-worth and domain-specific self-esteem to emphasize emerging adult students’ self-perception and its links with adjustment.     

情节模拟对预期伴侣反应性及依恋安全感的影响

当依恋对象不在身边时, 个体可以通过内部表征的方式通达依恋对象的可得与反应性, 获得依恋安全感。然而, 现有研究对内部表征通达途径的考察忽略了情节模拟的作用。该研究采用实验组控制组前后测设计, 考察是否可以通过依恋相关的情节模拟通达依恋对象的可得与反应性, 帮助个体获得依恋安全感。研究招募正处于恋爱关系中且恋爱时长超过6个月的大学生46名。前测评定依恋相关的困境情境; 3天后实验组被试进行依恋相关的情节模拟任务, 控制组被试进行情境结果的撰写任务, 并再次对情境进行评定。结果发现, 相比于控制组, 情节模拟组预期伴侣的反应性和依恋安全感有更大提升。以上的研究结果表明, 依恋相关的情节模拟可以通达伴侣可得与反应性并帮助个体获得依恋安全感。     

Testing Measurement Invariance of the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen in a Belgian Adult Sample

The Dirty Dozen (Jonason & Webster, 2010) is a frequently used concise version of the Dark Triad to measure three socially aversive personality traits: Machiavellianism, psychopathy and, narcissism. The present study has examined measurement invariance in a sample of Belgian adults. The present study aims to assess measurement invariance of the Dutch version of the Dirty Dozen measure across gender in a large city-based representative adult sample in Belgium (N = 1587). Multi-group first-order confirmatory factor analysis for categorical indicators was utilized. In addition, unique associations between Dirty Dozen traits, trait self-control and, acceptance of illegitimate norms were examined in a series of structural equation models. Results indicated that the internal consistency of the Dirty Dozen subscales was good for Machiavellianism (α = 0.80) and narcissism (α = 0.80), but modest for psychopathy (α = 0.64). The hypothesized three correlated factors model with separate factors for Machiavellianism, psychopathy and, narcissism provided a poor fit for men and women. Invariance testing across gender showed evidence for weak invariance only, indicating that the underlying latent factors are measured the same way with the same metric in the two populations. However, we were not able to establish strong measurement invariance. Observed group differences should be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, Machiavellianism and psychopathy were strongly associated with trait self-control in both men and women. Strong correlations were found between acceptance of illegitimate norms and Dirty Dozen traits, Machiavellianism and, psychopathy, but not with narcissism.     

Functional analysis and treatment of adult problem behavior: A review

Functional analysis (FA) methodology has been deemed the best practice in the field of applied behavior analysis. The data collected in an FA allows behavior analysts to develop the most effective and ethical behavior interventions. With the diagnosis for individuals with autism on the rise along with the forecast of adults who will need support, it may be time to take stock of the available literature. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the behavior analytic research over the last 25 years (1997–2022) on FA and treatment for adults who engage in severe problem behavior. Utilizing specific inclusion and exclusion criteria resulted in the identification of 28 articles. These articles were examined across participant characteristics, target behavior, FA type, FA settings, interventions, generalization, and maintenance. Implications on adult FA and treatment are discussed along with recommendations for practitioners who desire to support this population.