Does overall reinforcer rate affect discrimination of time‐based contingencies?

Overall reinforcer rate appears to affect choice. The mechanism for such an effect is uncertain, but may relate to reinforcer rate changing the discrimination of the relation between stimuli and reinforcers. We assessed whether a quantitative model based on a stimulus‐control approach could be used to account for the effects of overall reinforcer rate on choice under changing time‐based contingencies. On a two‐key concurrent schedule, the likely availability of a reinforcer reversed when a fixed time had elapsed since the last reinforcer, and the overall reinforcer rate was varied across conditions. Changes in the overall reinforcer rate produced a change in response bias, and some indication of a change in discrimination. These changes in bias and discrimination always occurred quickly, usually within the first session of a condition. The stimulus‐control approach provided an excellent account of the data, suggesting that changes in overall reinforcer rate affect choice because they alter the frequency of reinforcers obtained at different times, or in different stimulus contexts, and thus change the discriminated relation between stimuli and reinforcers. These findings support the notion that temporal and spatial discriminations can be understood in terms of discrimination of reinforcers across time and space.     

Different visuomotor processes maturation rates in children support dual visuomotor learning systems

Different processes are involved during visuomotor learning, including an error-based procedural and a strategy based cognitive mechanism. Our objective was to analyze if the changes in the adaptation or the aftereffect components of visuomotor learning measured across development, reflected different maturation rates of the aforementioned mechanisms. Ninety-five healthy children aged 4–12 years and a group of young adults participated in a wedge prism and a dove prism throwing task, which laterally displace or horizontally reverse the visual field respectively. The results show that despite the age-related differences in motor control, all children groups adapted in the error-based wedge prisms condition. However, when removing the prism, small children showed a slower aftereffects extinction rate. On the strategy-based visual reversing task only the older children group reached adult-like levels. These results are consistent with the idea of different mechanisms with asynchronous maturation rates participating during visuomotor learning.     

The Relationship of Positive Psychological Variables with the Age of Destitute Women in Psychosocial Adaptation

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the importance of positive psychological variables like self-efficacy, optimism, hope, resilience, and well-being in the context of psychosocial adaptation of destitute women staying in rescue homes/short-stay homes in the coastal districts of Odisha, India and their relationship with their age and the implications for old age. The participants were individually administered measures of self-efficacy, optimism, resilience, hope, and well-being. Destitute and non-destitute women were compared on each of these measures. The sample consisted of 300 women (150 destitute women and 150 non-destitute women). The destitute women were randomly sampled from the short-stay homes/rescue homes in the coastal districts of Odisha. Though the age range was from 18 to 45 years (as that is the age they normally have the courage to raise a voice against injustice done to them), there are implications for their later life; if proper intervention programs are done to increase their positive psychological capital, better well-being can be ensured for their old age. The analysis of data involved Product Moment Correlation Coefficient between age and other dimensions. The major implications of the study were formulated and directions for future research were also outlined.     

Family resilience: a developmental systems framework

Abstract

This article presents a brief overview of a family resilience conceptual framework, grounded in a multi-level developmental systems orientation. A family systems perspective broadens attention to resources for individual resilience throughout the family network of relationships. The concept of family resilience refers to the family as a functional system, impacted by highly stressful events and social contexts, and in turn, facilitating the positive adaptation of all members and strengthening the family unit. A research-informed map of key processes in family resilience is outlined, highlighting the recursive and synergistic influences of transactional processes within families and with their social environment. Varied process elements may be more or less useful, depending on different adverse situations over time, with a major crisis, trauma, or loss; disruptive transitions; or chronic multi-stress conditions. This perspective is attuned to the diversity of family cultures and structures, their resources and constraints, salient socio-cultural and developmental influences, and the viability of varied pathways in resilience.     

《学习适应量表》的验证性因素分析

在北京多所学校对425名学生进行了《学习适应量表》的测量,验证性因素分析结果表明,总量表和各个分量表的模型拟合都未违反基本适令标准,总量表的整体模型拟合性良好,内在结构适合性也比较好。学习方法、学习习惯、学习态度、学习环境和身心适应五个分量表的整体模型拟合性较好,但内在结构不佳。     

Evaluation of a Spanish version of the Buss and Perry aggression questionnaire: Some personal and situational factors related to the aggression scores of young subjects

The psychometric properties of a Spanish translation of the Buss and Perry aggression questionnaire adapted for pre-adolescents and adolescents have been studied. A maximum-likelihood confirmatory factor analysis corroborates Buss and Perry’s four-factor structure. The internal consistency of each factor and of the total score has proved to be satisfactory. The four factors are more closely interrelated in pre-adolescents than in adolescents.A second aim of this work has been to further our understanding of the possible relationship between aggression scores and certain outside-school activities of the subjects studied. Two thousand two hundred and eight students filled in the questionnaire together with a self-report concerning their habits. The results show that the aggression scores rise concomitantly with time spent watching television and playing video games and decrease the greater the time devoted to extra-curricular reading or moderate amounts of homework. Statistically significant differences relating to age and gender were also found.     

云南省中小学生师生关系发展特点及对学校适应的预测

考察云南省中、小学生师生关系的发展趋势、类型特点和师生关系对中小学生学校适应的作用.采用分层随机取样的方式选取云南省中小学生9055名,调查了他们的师生关系和学校适应.结果发现:(1)云南省中小学生与教师的依恋和亲密性随年级升高呈下降趋势,冲突和回避性随年级升高呈先上升后下降趋势,初中生得分最高.不同年级段学生和性别之间存在显著差异;(2)云南省中小学生与教师的关系存在三种类型:矛盾型、疏远型和亲密型.在矛盾型分布上,随年级升高呈先上升后下降趋势,初中生矛盾型最多.在疏远型上,随年级升高呈上升趋势,高中生疏远型最多.在亲密型上,随年级升高呈下降趋势,小学生亲密型最多.在三种类型上,小学和初中年级段学生存在显著性别差异;(3)冲突性和亲密性是中小学生学校适应的重要预测变量,回避性对中学生有显著预测作用.(4)具有亲密型师生关系的学生学校适应能力显著好于矛盾型和疏远型.结论:应加强对学生亲密型师生关系的培养,更加重视对中学生师生关系的干预.     

进化心理学取向与当代心理学

进化心理学以进化论为理论基础,用适应的观点来解释人类的心理机制及其行为方式。本文通过阐明进化心理学的产生背景,重点论述了进化心理学的思维方式及其与心理学主要学科分支的联系,并指出了进化心理学对当代心理学发展的影响。     

《适应分量表》在蒙古族青少年群体中使用的信、效度检验

采用《青少年心理健康素质调查表·适应分量表》对内蒙古自治区10所蒙古族中小学的1768名蒙古族中小学生进行了调查,对其结果分析表明,量表中的22个项目均符合测量学要求,高低分组被试在所有因子上的得分差异都达到显著性水平;量表的内部一致性信度α系数为0.803;探索性因素分析均揭示了量表结构效度较好;验证性因素分析表明,本量表数据与6因子模型的拟合程度很好,达到可接受的各项标准指数。该量表具有较好的信度和效度,适合蒙古族青少年群体使用。