A replication of the response‐restriction preference assessment

We replicated the response‐restriction (RR) preference assessment and compared results in terms of preference hierarchies to those from free‐operant and multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO) formats with six children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We also assessed social validity of each format with teachers and clinicians who work with children with ASDs. Complete hierarchies were produced in four of 18 assessments and with MSWO and RR formats only. Results of the social validity assessment varied across raters, with each preference assessment format receiving the highest rating from at least one rater. Results are discussed in terms of practical recommendations and relative to the preference assessment literature as a whole.     

6~8岁儿童公平行为的内在动机：社会信号的作用

公平行为是个体对自己或别人不偏不倚的行为,存在本质公平与表现公平。本质公平,即个体本身渴望公平,能够依据某种公平原则做出公平行为;表现公平,即个体在行为上做出公平的表现而实质并非来自本身的意愿。研究1选取270名6~8岁儿童,采用资源分配任务考察儿童在有无社会信号作用下表现公平行为的发展特点,研究2选取300名6~8岁儿童,采用抛硬币任务来考察儿童是否会用公平程序来掩盖其不公平行为。结果表明：(1)有无社会信号条件对儿童公平行为存在显著影响,并存在显著的年龄差异。有社会信号条件下,儿童更多选择公平行为,无社会信号条件下,儿童更多选择对自己有利的不公平分配。(2)儿童选择通过抛硬币的方式来获取奖品的人数随着年龄增长显著上升,抛硬币的儿童报告自己得到好的奖品的概率显著多于得到不好奖品的概率。结论：社会信号作用下儿童更多会做出表现公平而非本质公平。     

The psychological coping,learning potential and career preferences profiles of operational force military candidates

The aim of this study was to profile the psychological coping, learning potential and career-related interests of 251 candidates for operational force military selection for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) – 26 of whom were successful in the selection. Data on their sense of meaning, learning potential and career-related interest were gathered using standardised measures supplemented with open-ended responses. The data were analysed to compare the profiles of the successful candidates against those not selected. The selected group showed significantly higher mean scores on meaningfulness and learning potential, and lower scores for career-related interest in law and medicine. Findings suggest that psychological coping, learning potential and career-related preference information can be used to refine the selection of operational force military candidates.     

Comparing positive and negative reinforcement: A fantasy experiment

We propose quantitative experimental approaches to the question of whether positive and negative reinforcement are functionally different, and discuss scientific and ethical concerns that would arise if these approaches were pursued.     

Active sleep is associated with the face preference in the newborns who familiarized with a responsive face

Aim of this study was to investigate the preferential looking behaviour, subsequent to a familiarization task (8-min) with a previously responsive or motionless face, before and after a sleep cycle. Moreover, the role of the active sleep in memory consolidation of the responsive or motionless faces was explored. Hypotheses were that the newborns undergoing a motionless familiarization will exhibit a novelty effect (preference for the novel face) whereas the newborns undergoing a responsive familiarization will show a familiarity effect (preference for the known face) before and after the sleep cycle; moreover, the amount of active sleep will be associated with the looking time at the known face after a sleep cycle.Forty-five healthy full-term newborns were randomly assigned to two groups (group 1: motionless-familiarization and group 2: responsive-familiarization); in both groups newborns were video-recorded during four post-familiarization face-preference tasks, two of them performed before and two after a sleep cycle.During the pre-sleep-trials, there was not a significant preference for one face in both groups. During the post-sleep trials, the newborns showed a clear preference for the novel face. This effect was more evident in group 1. Only in group 2 there was a significant positive correlation between the active sleep duration and the looking duration at the known-face during the post-sleep trials (r = 0.41; p = 0.040). Multiple regression confirmed that only in the group 2 the total duration of the active sleep was associated with the looking duration at the known-face during the post-sleep trials (Adjusted R² = 0.13; β = 0.41; t = 2.2; p = 0.040).Findings showed that in newborns the face representation can be recalled after a sleep cycle. Moreover, the amount of the active sleep predicted the post-sleep looking toward the known-face only in the newborns who interactively familiarized with the face.     

Assessing Preferences Among Behavioral Interventions With Japanese Parents of Children With Developmental Disabilities

As the cultural dynamic continues to become increasingly complex, it is critical to assess cultural factors that influence practice. The present study considers the treatment preferences of Japanese mothers of children with developmental disabilities. After answering demographic questions, each participant was given four scenarios and asked how they would respond by choosing one of four interventions (differential reinforcement, ignoring, reprimanding, and time-out). Overall, we found that parents preferred differential reinforcement strategies the most. Moreover, parents who reported that their children had a history of involvement with applied behavior analysis were especially likely to choose differential reinforcement. Implications for future research and practice are provided.     

心理不安全状态下决策者的风险偏好

心理不安全感是指人们对可能遭受的伤害与威胁的担忧与焦虑。当下, 许多个体都是在心理不安全的状态下进行决策。对于心理不安全状态下的风险偏好规律, 现有研究得到了矛盾的结果。此外, 心理安全感对风险偏好的作用机制尚不明确。本研究聚焦心理安全感对风险偏好的影响, 考察心理安全感的补偿机制在其中的中介作用, 并探讨选项分布情况在其中的调节作用, 以此揭示心理安全感为何及如何作用于风险偏好。研究结果将有助于明确决策者在心理不安全状态下的风险偏好规律, 从而完善现有的风险决策理论。同时, 为公共管理政策制定提供科学依据。     

Selective approach to a male and subsequent receptivity to mounting comprise mate‐choice behavior of female mice1

Abstract: To ensure the effectiveness of the mate‐choice behavior of female house mice (Mus domesticus), we observed them in two different situations that involved restriction of the area of movement of the male mice. In Experiment 1, we observed 12 trios consisting of two male mice and an estrous female placed in a chamber in which none of the animals was restricted during the 6‐h test. It was found that the female was more receptive to the male that had ejaculated with it first. Additionally, when the female initiated the mating event by approaching the male, the lordosis quotient was higher than that when the male initiated the mating event. In Experiment 2, a female was able to visit two males that were prevented from getting out of small boxes. As a result of the 3‐h observation of 10 cases, it was found that the females were more receptive to the dominant male. The intromission ratio of the dominant male was also higher than that of the subordinate male. The behavioral roles of female mice in mating interactions and their adaptive validity are discussed.     

Does mere exposure enhance positive evaluation,independent of stimulus recognition? A replication study in Japan and the USA1

Abstract: In order to examine whether the mere exposure effect, the finding that exposure to a stimulus enhances a positive evaluation of it, occurs in Japan as well as in the USA, a test was carried out using a novel auditory stimulus. Japanese and American people were asked to listen to repeatedly presented Tagalog (the native Filipino language) utterances. They were then asked to estimate their liking for each utterance and whether they recognized it as one presented during the first exposure stage. The mere exposure effect was found in both cultures. Further, it resulted from only exposure frequency, not recognition. Implications for preference and the role of culture are discussed.