The time course of extinction-induced aggressive behavior in humans: Evidence for a stage model of extinction

Three experiments examined the effects of extinction on aggressive responding in male college students. In Experiment 1 subjects initially performed on a task where shuttle responding was either continuously or partially reinforced with tokens while either a nonaggressive button-pressing response or an aggressive pad-striking response was concurrently reinforced by escape from a moderately aversive tone. During shuttle acquisition there was clear preference for the escape response of button pressing, but when shuttle responding was extinguished subjects began to respond aggressively by striking the pad to escape. The time course of aggressive escape responses during concurrent shuttle extinction was an inverted U; aggressive responding rose to a peak and then declined. Aggressive responding began earlier in extinction following continuous- as contrasted with partial-reinforcement shuttle training. Experiment 2 showed that similar extinction-induced aggression was precipitated by both moderate and extended continuous-reinforcement shuttle training, with earlier onset after extended reinforcement. Experiment 3 ruled out the possibility that the emergence of the pad-striking response during extinction was simply induced response variation. These data were interpreted within the theoretical framework of P.T.P. Wong's recently advanced stage model of extinction (Animal Learning and Behavior, 1978,6, 82–93).     

Prospective analysis of early lapse to drinking and smoking among individuals in concurrent alcohol and tobacco treatment

The aims of the current study were to examine, prospectively, (a) dynamic changes in affective state, self-efficacy, and urge in the hours before initial smoking and drinking lapses among individuals in concurrent alcohol and smoking treatment, and (b) the extent to which self-efficacy, urge to use, and/or the use of one substance predicted lapse to the other substance. Ninety-six men and women recruited for a clinical trial of concurrent alcohol and tobacco treatment were eligible for inclusion. Only data from those who experienced an initial lapse to drinking (n=29) or smoking (n=32) were included. Two outpatient substance abuse clinics provided concurrent alcohol and smoking treatment on a weekly basis for three months. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) methods were employed over a 28-day monitoring period to assess antecedents to first drink, and a 14-day monitoring period was examined for initial smoking lapses. Baseline and EMA measures of positive and negative affect, alcohol/smoking urge, alcohol/smoking abstinence self-efficacy, nicotine withdrawal, and quantity/frequency of alcohol and tobacco use were examined as lapse predictors. Analyses of EMA ratings controlled for the corresponding baseline measure. Smoking lapse among individuals in concurrent alcohol and tobacco treatment was foreshadowed by higher urges to smoke, lower positive mood, and lower confidence to resist smoking. Drinking lapse was preceded by lower confidence to resist smoking, but only among individuals who reported recent smoking. Concurrent alcohol and smoking treatment should focus on the enhancement of abstinence self-efficacy, positive mood, and the curbing of urges in order to offset lapse risk.     

Neural correlates of automatic mood regulation in girls at high risk for depression

Daughters of depressed mothers are at significantly elevated risk for developing a depressive disorder themselves. We have little understanding, however, of the specific factors that contribute to this risk. The ability to regulate negative affect effectively is critical to emotional and physical health and may play an important role in influencing risk for depression. We examined whether never-disordered daughters whose mothers have experienced recurrent episodes of depression during their daughters' lifetime differ from never-disordered daughters of never-disordered mothers in their patterns of neural activation during a negative mood induction and during automatic mood regulation. Sad mood was induced in daughters through the use of film clips; daughters then recalled positive autobiographical memories, a procedure shown previously to repair negative affect. During the mood induction, high-risk girls exhibited greater activation than did low-risk daughters in brain areas that have frequently been implicated in the experience of negative affect, including the amygdala and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. In contrast, during automatic mood regulation, low-risk daughters exhibited greater activation than did their high-risk counterparts in brain areas that have frequently been associated with top-down regulation of emotion, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. These findings indicate that girls at high and low risk for depression differ in their patterns of neural activation both while experiencing, and while repairing negative affect, and suggest that anomalies in neural functioning precede the onset of a depressive episode.     

Vitalizing Enactment: A Relational Exploration

Drawing from her extensive work with deeply disturbed children Alvarez (2012) theorized a form of intervention termed “vitalization” in which the analyst actively reaches out to contact and “reclaim” her most inaccessible patients, engaging them in the world of emotions and relationships. In this paper I consider Alvarez’s ideas through the lens of Relational thought, reconceptualizing vitalization as a unique form of enactment that can draw the analytic dyad from deadened impasse into enlivened contact. In vitalizing enactment embryonic affects, hopes, and longings find expression and are potentiated for patient and analyst alike. This is a view of enactment as a progressive and creative lived experience, rather than an unconscious collision to be survived and symbolized. I contextualize vitalizing enactment in relation to Alvarez’s original formulations as well as relevant contemporary theories and present a clinical vignette to illustrate this paper’s themes.     

Age,context, and spatial memory: A neuropsychological approach

Abstract

The hypothesis that a reduction in age differences in spatial location memory in the presence of distinctive cues reflects a decreased dependence on a hippocampally based memory system was tested in three experiments. In Experiments 1 and 2 the presence of distinctive cues did not reduce age differences in spatial location memory nor did these cues eliminate the significant relation between spatial location memory and a measure of hippocampal function. Distinctive cues did, however, place additional demands on processing resources and spatial visualization abilities. In Experiment 3 the relevance of prior knowledge was manipulated. With irrelevant prior knowledge there was a strong unique association between the hippocampal measure and outcome measure. With relevant prior knowledge there was no such association. the implications of these findings for understanding the role of the hippocampus in age-related decline in memory for locations are discussed.     

Understanding Choice Behaviours: Pathways from School to University with Changing Aspirations and Opportunities

A socio-ecological approach to explain choice behaviour highlights salient personal and social factors in the context of changing aspirations and opportunities. The population databases are five cohorts of all school leaver applicants for university places in a state of Australia and a survey for one cohort. Results highlight common behaviour patterns across cohorts, with diverse outcomes for specific social groups. Offers of university places relate course preferences and school achievement. In addition, decisions to apply, accept and enrol vary with social experience by socio-economic indicators, geographic location and school type. Student explanations for their decisions to defer or let the offer lapse entail particular social factors as well as personal factors of self concepts, interests and financial needs. Findings contribute to a better understanding of choice behaviour, with a general model of the personal and social factors that explain diverse pathways to higher education.     

The forgiveness process in primary and secondary victims of violent and sexual offences

It is possible that the physical and mental health of crime victims might be improved by forgiving those who have offended against them. To date, no research has been undertaken to examine the processes that influence victims' forgiveness. The goal of this project was to examine the forgiveness process in primary and secondary victims of violent and sexual crimes. In Study 1, qualitative data were collected by interviewing 21 people who had been affected by sexual or other violent crime. Data analysis identified five themes that were common to both primary and secondary victims, namely benefit of forgiveness, self‐forgiveness, perspective taking, offender behaviour, and time. An empowerment theme was unique to primary victims, and a principal victim theme was unique to secondary victims. To further explore these qualitative findings, a quantitative survey of 60 primary and secondary victims was conducted. Results confirmed that primary victims are pragmatic forgivers who are internally focused and forgive because that will benefit their healing. Conversely, secondary victims did not think forgiveness benefited, or would impact on, their own or the primary victim's recovery process. Neither group saw forgiveness as a moral issue, nor thought that forgiveness should influence whether an offender should face court.     

Information and choice of subjects in the senior school

Selection of subjects for the final two years of secondary schooling is a task of vital importance for the adolescent. Data from 1,048 16-year-olds in Australia are reported. The findings suggest that many adolescents do not seek or do not access the information which is necessary for rational decision-making. Adolescents are, however, able to differentiate between information sources on the basis of their usefulness. Implications for career advisers are discussed.