The Role of the Self in False Memory Creation

Summary

People will create false memories of childhood experiences. In this article, the research that demonstrates the creation of false memories is first described. Three processes that may be involved in memory creation are then outlined. First, individuals must accept a suggested event as plausible. Second, they construct an image and narrative of the false event. Third, they incorrectly attribute the source of the event to personal memory rather than external suggestion. We argue that the self plays a role in each of these processes. In addition, because memories are important components of the self, when memories change, the self changes as well.     

Reinforcer control by comparison-stimulus color and location in a delayed matching-to-sample task

Six pigeons were trained in a delayed matching-to-sample task involving bright- and dim-yellow samples on a central key, a five-peck response requirement to either sample, a constant 1.5-s delay, and the presentation of comparison stimuli composed of red on the left key and green on the right key or vice versa. Green-key responses were occasionally reinforced following the dimmer-yellow sample, and red-key responses were occasionally reinforced following the brighter-yellow sample. Reinforcer delivery was controlled such that the distribution of reinforcers across both comparison-stimulus color and comparison-stimulus location could be varied systematically and independently across conditions. Matching accuracy was high throughout. The ratio of left to right side-key responses increased as the ratio of left to right reinforcers increased, the ratio of red to green responses increased as the ratio of red to green reinforcers increased, and there was no interaction between these variables. However, side-key biases were more sensitive to the distribution of reinforcers across key location than were comparison-color biases to the distribution of reinforcers across key color. An extension of Davison and Tustin's (1978) model of DMTS performance fit the data well, but the results were also consistent with an alternative theory of conditional discrimination performance (Jones, 2003) that calls for a conceptually distinct quantitative model.     

汉语口语产生中音节和音段的促进和抑制效应

采用图画-词汇干扰实验范式, 通过比较即时命名、延迟命名以及延迟命名与发音抑制任务的结合, 考察了汉语口语产生中音节和音段在单词形式编码的不同阶段所产生的效应。与无关条件相比, 在包含音韵编码、语音编码和发音阶段的即时命名任务中, 音节相关和音段相关条件显著地缩短了图画命名时间, 表现出音节和音段促进效应; 在包含发音阶段的延迟命名任务中, 音节相关和音段相关条件显著地延长了图画命名的时间, 表现出音节和音段抑制效应; 在包含语音编码和发音阶段的延迟命名和发音抑制结合的任务中, 音段相关条件显著地延长了图画命名时间, 表现出音段抑制效应。结果表明, 音节和音段的促进效应发生在汉语口语词汇产生中的音韵编码阶段, 音节和音段的抑制效应可能发生在语音编码或者发音阶段。效果量(Cohen d)的分析表明音节的促进效应强, 而音段的促进效应弱, 音节是音韵编码过程的合适单元, 为合适单元假设提供了支持证据。与音节相比, 音段在语音编码和发音阶段的效应量较大, 表明音段在运动执行过程中可能起了相对重要的作用, 支持了口语产生中词汇表征准备阶段与运动阶段分离的观点。     

Reducing stimulus overselectivity through an increased observing-response requirement

An adult with autism and a mild intellectual disability participated in a 0-s delayed matching-to-sample task. In each trial, two sample stimuli were presented together until the participant completed an observing-response requirement consisting of 1 or 10 mouse clicks in the baseline and experimental phases, respectively. One of the two sample stimuli then appeared randomly as a comparison stimulus (S+), along with two other comparison stimuli (S-). Higher levels of correct responding occurred under the larger observing-response requirement, and the proportion of errors related to one of the two sample stimuli decreased. Thus, stimulus overselectivity was reduced without requiring differential observing responses.     

Designing interventions that include delayed reinforcement: implications of recent laboratory research

The search for robust and durable interventions in everyday situations typically involves the use of delayed reinforcers, sometimes delivered well after a target behavior occurs. Integrating the findings from laboratory research on delayed reinforcement can contribute to the design and analysis of those applied interventions. As illustrations, we examine articles from the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior that analyzed delayed reinforcement with respect to response allocation (A. M. Williams & Lattal, 1999), stimulus chaining (B. A. Williams, 1999), and self-control (Jackson & Hackenberg, 1996). These studies help to clarify the conditions under which delayed reinforcement (a) exercises control of behavior, (b) entails conditioned reinforcement, and (c) displaces the effects of immediate reinforcement. The research has applied implications, including the development of positive social behavior and teaching people to make adaptive choices. DESCRIPTORS: delayed reinforcement, response allocation, stimulus chains, self-control, integration of basic and applied research     

A procedure to teach self-control to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

This study examined the use of a progressive delay procedure combined with verbal mediation to teach self-control to children with attention deficit disorder. Results showed that when participants were initially given the choice between an immediate smaller reinforcer and a larger delayed reinforcer, all participants chose the smaller reinforcer. When slight delays to obtain a larger reinforcer were instated in conjunction with intervening verbal activity, all participants demonstrated self-control regardless of the content of the verbal activity.     

Parametric analysis of delayed primary and conditioned reinforcers

We examined the effects of delayed reinforcement on the responding of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Three conditions were evaluated: (a) food reinforcement, (b) token reinforcement with a postsession exchange opportunity, and (c) token reinforcement with a posttrial exchange opportunity. Within each condition, we assessed responding given (a) a no‐reinforcement baseline, (b) immediate reinforcement, and (c) delayed reinforcement, in which responses produced a reinforcer after 1 of 6 delays. Results suggest that delayed food produced greater response persistence than did delayed tokens.