Contextual control by function and form of transfer of functions

This study investigated conditions leading to contextual control by stimulus topography over transfer of functions. Three 4-member stimulus equivalence classes, each consisting of four (A, B, C, D) topographically distinct visual stimuli, were established for 5 college students. Across classes, designated A stimuli were open-ended linear figures, B stimuli were circular, C stimuli three-sided, and D stimuli four-sided. Three different computer tasks then were trained with the B stimuli. Differential reinforcement and punishment procedures were then used to establish control over function transfer by the topography of the class members. For Task 1, function transfer, responding to C and D stimuli as subjects had to B stimuli, was reinforced. For Task 2, function transfer was reinforced for C stimuli but punished for D stimuli. For Task 3, function transfer was punished for both C and D stimuli. New equivalence classes were then established and tests for generalized contextual control were presented. All 5 subjects showed generalized contextual control of transfer of functions by stimulus topography. Implications of contextual control over function transfer in natural settings 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.     

New knowledge derived from learned knowledge: functional-anatomic correlates of stimulus equivalence

Forming new knowledge based on knowledge established through prior learning is a central feature of higher cognition that is captured in research on stimulus equivalence (SE). Numerous SE investigations show that reinforcing behavior under control of distinct sets of arbitrary conditional relations gives rise to stimulus control by new, derived relations. This investigation examined whether frontal-subcortical and frontal-parietal networks known to support reinforced conditional relations also support derived conditional relations. Twelve adult subjects completed matching-to-sample (MTS) training with correct/wrong feedback to establish four trained conditional relations within two distinct, three-member stimulus classes: (1) A1-->B1, B1-->C1 and (2) A2-->B2, B2-->C2. Afterwards, functional neuroimaging was performed when MTS trials were presented involving matching two identical circles (a sensorimotor control condition), trained relations (A-->B, B-->C), and derived relations: symmetry (B-->A, C-->B), transitivity (A-->C), and equivalence (C-->A). Conditional responding to trained and derived relations was similarly correlated with bilateral activation in the targeted networks. Comparing trained to derived relations, however, highlighted greater activation in several prefrontal regions, the caudate, thalamus, and putamen, which may represent the effects of extended training or feedback present during imaging. Each derived relation also evidenced a unique activation pattern. Collectively, the findings extend the role of frontal-subcortical and frontal-parietal networks to derived conditional relations and suggest that regional involvement varies with the type of derived conditional relation.     

Jungian theory of dreaming and contemporary dream research – findings from the research project ‘Structural Dream Analysis’

The research method ‘Structural Dream Analysis’ (SDA) is described which allows for systematic and objective analysis of the meaning of dreams produced by patients in Jungian psychotherapies. The method focuses especially on the relationship between the dream ego and other figures in the dream and the extent of activity of the dream ego. Five major dream patterns were identified which accounted for the majority of the dreams. The clients’ dream series were dominated by one or two repetitive patterns which were closely connected to the psychological problems of the dreamers. Additionally, typical changes in the dream series’ patterns could be identified which corresponded with therapeutic change. These findings support Jung's theory of dreams as providing a holistic image of the dreamer’s psyche, including unconscious aspects. The implications for different psychoanalytic theories of dreaming and dream interpretation are discussed as well as implications for the continuity hypothesis.     

OPTIMIZING LINKED PERCEPTUAL CLASS FORMATION AND TRANSFER OF FUNCTION

A linked perceptual class consists of two distinct perceptual classes, A′ and B′, the members of which have become related to each other. For example, a linked perceptual class might be composed of many pictures of a woman (one perceptual class) and the sounds of that woman's voice (the other perceptual class). In this case, any sound of the woman's voice would occasion the selection of any picture of the woman and vice versa. In addition, after learning to name the woman in the presence of one picture, that name would be uttered when presented with all of the images of the woman's face and all of the sounds of her voice. This study involved 15 participants and sought to (a) maximize the percentage of participants who formed linked perceptual classes, and (b) determine whether those classes acted as transfer networks, that is, whether the discriminative function of one class member would generalize to other members of the class and not to members of a different class. The rate of emergence of each linked perceptual class was maximized by establishing a single class‐linking conditional relation between the clearest member of one class used as a sample stimulus and the most ambiguous member of the other class used as a comparison stimulus. Class formation was demonstrated using the serial and programmed presentation of A′–B′ probes that consisted of untrained pairs of stimuli drawn from the A′ and B′ classes. Most participants showed immediate emergence of the two linked perceptual classes. The remaining participants showed delayed emergence following a second exposure to each originally error‐producing probes. Once the linked perceptual classes had emerged, a differential response to a specific member of one perceptual class generalized mostly or completely to the other members of that linked class and rarely, if ever, to members of the other linked class. Thus, generalization did not depend on the specific class members that had been used for discrimination training.     

TRANSFER OF AVERSIVE RESPONDENT ELICITATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH EQUIVALENCE RELATIONS

The present study investigates the transfer of aversively conditioned respondent elicitation through equivalence classes, using skin conductance as the measure of conditioning. The first experiment is an attempt to replicate Experiment 1 in Dougher, Augustson, Markham, Greenway, and Wulfert (1994), with different temporal parameters in the aversive conditioning procedure employed. Match‐to‐sample procedures were used to teach 17 participants two 4‐member equivalence classes. Then, one member of one class was paired with electric shock and one member of the other class was presented without shock. The remaining stimuli from each class were presented in transfer tests. Unlike the findings in the original study, transfer of conditioning was not achieved. In Experiment 2, similar procedures were used with 30 participants, although several modifications were introduced (formation of five‐member classes, direct conditioning with several elements of each class, random sequences of stimulus presentation in transfer tests, reversal in aversive conditioning contingencies). More than 80% of participants who had shown differential conditioning also showed the transfer of function effect. Moreover, this effect was replicated within subjects for 3 participants. This is the first demonstration of the transfer of aversive respondent elicitation through stimulus equivalence classes with the presentation of transfer test trials in random order. The latter prevents the possibility that transfer effects are an artefact of transfer test presentation order.     

EMERGENT CONDITIONAL RELATIONS IN A GO/NO‐GO PROCEDURE: FIGURE—GROUND AND STIMULUS‐POSITION COMPOUND RELATIONS

Past research has demonstrated emergent conditional relations using a go/no‐go procedure with pairs of figures displayed side‐by‐side on a computer screen. The present study sought to extend applications of this procedure. In Experiment 1, we evaluated whether emergent conditional relations could be demonstrated when two‐component stimuli were displayed in figure—ground relationships—abstract figures displayed on backgrounds of different colors. Five normally capable adults participated. During training, each two‐component stimulus was presented successively. Responses emitted in the presence of some stimulus pairs (A1B1, A2B2, A3B3, B1C1, B2C2 and B3C3) were reinforced, whereas responses emitted in the presence of other pairs (A1B2, A1B3, A2B1, A2B3, A3B1, A3B2, B1C2, B1C3, B2C1, B2C3, B3C1 and B3C2) were not. During tests, new configurations (AC and CA) were presented, thus emulating structurally the matching‐to‐sample tests employed in typical equivalence studies. All participants showed emergent relations consistent with stimulus equivalence during testing. In Experiment 2, we systematically replicated the procedures with stimulus compounds consisting of four figures (A1, A2, C1 and C2) and two locations (left — B1 and right — B2). All 6 normally capable adults exhibited emergent stimulus—stimulus relations. Together, these experiments show that the go/no‐go procedure is a potentially useful alternative for studying emergent conditional relations when matching‐to‐sample is procedurally cumbersome or impossible to use.     

ALTERING THE NEAR‐MISS EFFECT IN SLOT MACHINE GAMBLERS

This study investigated the potential for recreational gamblers to respond as if certain types of losing slot machine outcomes were actually closer to a win than others (termed the near‐miss effect). Exposure to conditional discrimination training and testing disrupted this effect for 10 of the 16 participants. These 10 participants demonstrated high percentages of conditional discrimination testing performance, and the remaining 6 participants failed the discrimination tests. The implications for a verbally based behavioral explanation of gambling are presented.     

分类数据测量等价性检验方法及其比较：项目阈值(难度)参数的组间差异性检验

测量工具满足等价性是进行多组比较的前提, 测量等价性的检验方法主要有基于CFA的多组比较法和基于IRT的DIF检验两类方法。文章比较了单维测验情境下基于CCFA的DIFFTEST检验方法和基于IRT模型的IRT-LR检验方法, 以及多维测验情境下DIFFTEST和基于MIRT的卡方检验方法的差异。通过模拟研究的方法, 比较了几种方法的检验力和第一类错误, 并考虑了样本总量、样本量的组间均衡性、测验长度、阈值差异大小以及维度间相关程度的影响。研究结果表明：(1)在单维测验下, IRT-LR是比DIFFTEST更为严格的检验方法; 多维测验下, 在测验较长、测验维度之间相关较高时, MIRT-MG比DIFFTEST更容易检验出项目阈值的差异, 而在测验长度较短、维度之间相关较小时, DIFFTEST的检验力反而略高于MIRT-MG方法。(2)随着阈值差值增加, DIFFTEST、IRT-LR和MIRT-MG三种方法的检验力均在增加, 当阈值差异达到中等或较大时, 三种方法都可以有效检验出测验阈值的不等价性。(3)随着样本总量增加, DIFFTEST、IRT-LR和MIRT-MG方法的检验力均在增加; 在总样本量不变, 两组样本均衡情况下三种方法的检验力均高于不均衡的情况。(4)违背等价性题目个数不变时, 测验越长DIFFTEST的检验力会下降, 而IRT-LR和MIRT-MG检验力则上升。(5) DIFFTEST方法的一类错误率平均值接近名义值0.05; 而IRT-LR和MIRT-MG方法的一类错误率平均值远低于0.05。     

质疑星座决定人格特质的实证研究

星象学的基本假设是一个人出生时的星运位置可以决定其人格特质和重大际遇。本研究以16PF为工具,测查了165名大一学生,并按被试的出生日期和时辰确定了其星座。总的来说,结果不支持星座决定人格倾向的理论。