Effects of within-class differences in sample responding on acquired sample equivalence

Two experiments examined whether acquired sample equivalence in many-toone matching was affected by variation in sample-response requirements. In each experiment, pigeons responded on either identical or different response schedules to the sample stimuli that occasioned the same reinforced comparison choice (i.e., to the within-class samples). Transfer-of-control tests were then conducted to determine acquired equivalence, or lack thereof, between these samples. In both experiments, there was minimal or no evidence of acquired sample equivalence when pigeons responded differently to the samples within each common-choice class. By contrast, transfer was observed if pigeons responded (a) identically to all sample stimuli, or (b) identically to samples within each common-choice class (viz., to samples that occasioned the same reinforced choice) and differently to samples from different classes (viz., to samples that occasioned different choices). These results may help to explain the recent lack of evidence for response membership in pigeons' acquired equivalence (Urcuioli, Lionello-DeNolf, Michalek, & Vasconcelos, 2006). They also raise questions about the functional sample stimuli and about possible interactions between acquired equivalence and acquired distinctiveness.     

初中生诚实性测验中社会赞许反应研究

运用马洛-克罗恩社会赞许量表(MCSD)和儿童社会期望量表(CSD),采用3×3设计,测查了高、中、低三类赞许动机水平的246名初中生在高、中、低三种不同赞许情境下完成诚实性测验的差异,以考察社会赞许性反应。结果显示低赞许动机被试比高赞许动机被试整体上更诚实,他们在三种情境下的诚实性行为差异不显著;高赞许动机水平被试在三种赞许情境下诚实性行为差异显著。说明前者更多依从自己内部判断,后者更多依从外界评价。     

The repeated confrontation with videotapes of spiders in multiple contexts attenuates renewal of fear in spider-anxious students

In a treatment-analogue experiment, extinction of fear of spiders was investigated in a group of spider-anxious students. Two groups were created: in the single extinction group the extinction trials consisted of repeated presentations of a videotaped spider in one specific location of a house, whereas in the multiple extinction group the trials consisted of videotapes of the same spider in three different locations of a house. Also a control group was included that was exposed to videotapes of the location but without the spider. As reflected in skin conductance responses and self-report data, fear of spiders was significantly reduced in the two extinction groups compared to the control group. Moreover, when the extinction groups were confronted with the videotape of the spider in a new location, the single extinction group did not show generalisation of extinction, whereas the multiple extinction group did. These results corroborate the existing evidence for context dependence of extinction of fear and provide new evidence that the use of multiple contexts during extinction might improve the generalisability of extinction in humans. Implications for exposure therapy are discussed.     

THE ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR WHAT'S IN IT FOR US?

When we publish behavioral research, we are not allowed to communicate the thrill, the poetry, or the exhilaration that are outcomes of the discovery process. Yet, these are among our most potent reinforcers. Explicit recognition of the emotional accompaniments to research could help attract students into the experimental analysis of behavior.     

The effects of differential training procedures on linked perceptual class formation

When the stimuli in one perceptual class (A') become related to the stimuli in another perceptual class (B'), the two are functioning as a single linked perceptual class. A common linked perceptual class would be the sounds of a person's voice (class A') and the pictures of that person (class B'). Such classes are ubiquitous in real world settings. We describe the effects of a variety of training procedures on the formation of these classes. The results could account for the development of naturally occurring linked perceptual classes. Two perceptual classes (A' and B') were formed in Experiment 1. The endpoints of the A' class were called anchor (Aa) and boundary (Ab) stimuli. Likewise, the anchor and boundary stimuli in the B' class were represented as Ba and Bb. In Experiment 2, the A' and B' classes were linked by the establishment of one of four cross-class conditional discriminations: Aa-->Ba, Aa-->Bb, Ab-->Ba, or Ab-->Bb. Results were greatest after Aa-->Bb training, intermediate after Aa-->Ba and Ab-->Ba training, and lowest after Ab-->Bb training. Class formation was influenced by the interaction of the anchor/boundary values and the sample/comparison functions of the stimuli used in training. Experiment 3 determined whether class formation was influenced by different sets of two cross-class conditional discriminations: Aa-->Ba and Ab-->Bb, or Aa-->Bb and Ab-->Ba. Both conditions produced equivalent results. Similarities were attributable to the use of anchor stimuli as samples and boundary stimuli as comparisons in each training condition. Finally, the results afterjoint Aa-->Ba and Ab-->Bb training were much greater than those produced by summing the results of Aa-->Ba training alone and Ab-->Bb training alone. This same synergy was not observed after joint Aa-->Bb and Ab-->Ba training or either alone.     

累积生态风险对农村初中生攻击行为的影响：有调节的中介模型

本研究旨在探讨累积生态风险与农村初中生攻击行为之间的关系,以及道德推脱的中介作用与共情的调节作用。通过对845名农村初中生进行问卷调查,结果发现：（1）农村初中生累积生态风险、道德推脱与攻击行为两两之间均存在显著正相关;（2）道德推脱在累积生态风险与农村初中生攻击行为之间起部分中介作用;（3）共情调节道德推脱在累积生态风险与攻击行为之间的中介效应,相对于共情水平较高的农村初中生,中介效应在共情水平较低的农村初中生中更显著。     

早期累积家庭风险对青少年内化问题的影响：弹性双重机制

为了解早期累积家庭风险因素对青少年内化问题的影响及其心理机制,采用累积家庭风险问卷、个人成长主动性问卷、领悟社会支持问卷以及青少年内化问题问卷对780名青少年进行调查。结果表明：（1）累积家庭风险对青少年内化问题具有显著的正向预测作用;（2）累积家庭风险因素还通过个人成长主动性和领悟社会支持的中介作用影响青少年内化问题。研究结果有助于揭示累积家庭风险对青少年内化问题的影响机制,对预防以及减少青少年内化问题行为具有一定的启示作用。     

Emergent completion of multistep instructions via joint control

Teaching procedures that facilitate the emergence of novel responses allow for increased efficiency, which is critical when providing early-intervention services to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Three 5- and 6-year-old children diagnosed with ASD participated. In Experiment 1, we demonstrated functional control over the effects of teaching echoic rehearsals on the emergence of completing novel two-step instructions via joint control and obtained generalization and maintenance of the effects in an applied, nontraining context. In Experiment 2, we conducted an experimental analysis of joint control by disrupting rehearsal of the instruction and tacts of the objects in the instruction, which served as the sources of joint control. Our results support the efficacy of the procedures for establishing first-trial performance with novel instructions and indicate that joint control is responsible for the emergent performance produced by our teaching procedures.