Facilitative and disruptive effects of prior exposure to shock on subsequent avoidance performance.

Subjected 40 male rats from each of 5 strains to 10 signaled inescapable 1-ma shock presentations. Shock facilitated subsequent 1-way and shuttle-avoidance performance (1-ma shock) in Charles River hooded, Wistar, Holtzman, and Sasco Ss, but did not significantly affect avoidance learning in Sprague-Dawley Ss. A 2nd experiment employing 120 male Holtzman rats indicated that inescapable shock of 1 ma. facilitated subsequent 1-way and shuttle-avoidance performance, while exposure to shock of 2 ma. facilitated 1-way and interfered with shuttle-avoidance performance. Movement ratings recorded during both CS and intershock intervals in pretraining were found to be good predictors of subsequent avoidance performance in preshocked Ss. Results are interpreted in terms of response repertoire changes produced by shock in conjunction with the defense reaction necessary in acquiring the avoidance response. (22 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Response to conflict as determined by prior exposure to conflict.

Clinical observations indicate that individuals who have been exposed to strong conflicts, as in their early life, tend to react in a conflictual way not only to the original stimulus situations, but to most situations, e.g., the obsessive-compulsive one, reflecting indecisiveness. To test the validity of this observation in human behavior sui generis, a laboratory situation was constructed wherein Ss were required to discriminate between 2 levels of illumination. This obligation to make a difficult discrimination (strong conflict) affected reaction to a subsequent relatively easier discrimination. Moreover, the greater the similarity regarding the relative difficulty of the discrimination tasks, the greater was the influence of the one on the other task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relative aversiveness of warning signal and shock in an avoidance situation.

"An avoidance situation was arranged in which the animals could either (a) postpone the shock and prolong the warning signal or (b) take the shock and terminate the warning signal." A low rate of avoidance responding was observed in the presence of the warning signal and a high rate in its absence. "The animals behaved in such a way as to terminate the stimulus as quickly as possible, even though a shock accompanied each stimulus termination. When the signal duration was made independent of the animal's behavior, the rate of avoidance responding in the stimulus increased." Avoidance contingencies in the presence and absence of the warning stimulus are suggested as important determiners of the relative aversiveness of stimulus and shock. 18 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implicit learning and generalization of the "mere exposure" effect.

Reports 2 experiments that examined the generalization of the "mere exposure" effect. Both experiments demonstrated that positive affect, produced by repeated viewing of a set of stimuli, generalizes to previously unseen stimuli that are similar to the exposed stimuli along certain abstract dimensions. Exp I, with 82 Ss, used letter strings constructed according to a complex rule system. Positive affect attributable to exposure generalized to novel letter strings that obeyed the rule system. Affective generalization was related to Ss' judgments of whether the novel strings obeyed the rule system. Exp II (40 Ss), in which the stimuli were complex visual patterns created by distorting standard forms, yielded an orderly gradient of affective generalization to novel patterns at varying levels of distortion. Results indicate that the exposure effect behaves in a manner similar to "implicit" concept learning and rule induction. The generalization techniques developed here provide a novel method for studying the affective processing of stimuli. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hypnotically "reliving" a prior burn: Effects on blister formation and localized skin temperature.

60 Ss who had previously been burned were "hypnotically age regressed" and given both suggestions to "relive" the burn experience and suggestions that a blister was forming. Although 17 Ss reported vividly imagining the burn events, none showed localized skin-coloration changes or evidence of blister formation. Moreover, skin temperature measured before, during, and after age regression indicated no overall suggestion effects. Nevertheless, 1 S did show differential skin-temperature response to the suggestion. This S had showed only moderate hypnotic susceptibility on the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Erratum to Satinder.

Reports an error in the article "Arousal Explains Difference in Avoidance Learning of Genetically Selected Rat Strains" by K. Paul Satinder (Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1977, Vol. 91, No. 6, pp. 1326-1336), one line was printed incorrectly. On page 1331, the last line of Table 2 reads as follows: RNA/Lu oneway 193 280. The line should be changed to read as follows: RHA/Lu oneway 193 280. (The following abstract originally appeared in record 1978-22592-001) Manipulated task complexity differences in avoidance learning of genetically selected strains of rats under dextroamphetamine (1, 2, and 4 mg/kg, ip). 288 Ss from RHA/Lu, RLA/Lu, RCA/Lu, RHA by RLA, and RLA by RHA strains were studied. With decreasing levels of task complexity the differences in avoidance learning between the selectively bred strains decreased significantly. Under the lower levels of complexity the strains reversed their relative positions in avoidance learning. Results are discussed in terms of inverted--U arousal function. The factors investigated in this study indicate that the differences in avoidance behavior of these lines of rats may be understood as deriving from genetically related different levels of arousal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mug shot exposure prior to lineup identification: Interference, transference, and commitment effects.

The effects of viewing mug shots on subsequent identification performance are as yet unclear. Two experiments used a live staged-crime paradigm to determine if interpolated eyewitness exposure to mug shots caused interference, unconscious transference, or commitment effects influencing subsequent lineup accuracy. Experiment 1 (N =104) tested interference effects. Similar correct decision rates were obtained for the mug shot and no mug shot groups from both perpetrator-present and absent lineups. Experiment 2 (N =132) tested for commitment and transference effects. Results showed that the commitment group made significantly more incorrect identifications than either the control or the transference group, which had similar false-identification rates. Commitment effects present a serious threat to identification accuracy from lineups following mug shot searches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Addressees of performance goals.

As performance goals aim to both procure acknowledgment of one's abilities and to avoid revealing a lack of one's abilities, the authors hypothesized that students hold specific performance goals for different addressees and that there are specific correlational patterns with other motivational constructs. They analyzed a data set of 2,675 pupils (1,248 boys and 1,426 girls) attending Grades 8 and 9 (mean age=15.0, SD=0.97). The students completed a questionnaire consisting of 12 items measuring performance approach goals and 12 items measuring performance avoidance goals. In each subset, 4 groups of addressees were differentiated: parents, teachers, peers, and the acting individual him/herself. Additionally, several external criteria were measured. The authors concurrently tested theory-driven, structural equation models. Incorporating all 24 items, the best-fitting model was a multitrait-multimethod model, which posited 2 factors for approach and avoidance goals and 4 addressee factors. While performance goals addressing parents showed relationships to maladaptive motivational and learning patterns, performance goals addressing classmates and self showed relationships to adaptive motivational and learning patterns. The relationships between performance goals addressing teachers and external criteria were rather weak and unsystematic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A test for specific and general behavioral effects of infantile stimulation with shock in the mouse.

The hypothesis tested was that exposure of the infant mouse to shock which could not be terminated by some specific response would lead to greater fearfulness later on than exposure to shock whose termination was contingent on a specific response. 3 groups of mice 8 to 11 days of age were each subjected to different shock conditions. One group could terminate the shock by an avoidance response (response-contingent group), one group had no control over the duration of shock (arbitrary shock group), and the third group received no shock in the apparatus. Later an open-field test of emotionality showed no significant differences, but an adult avoidance learning test showed that the run times of the response-contingent group were significantly shorter than those of the no-shock group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Longitudinal study of social class and defense preferences": Erratum.

Reports an error in the original article by A. Weinstock (Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1967[Oct], 31[5], 539-541). In this article, the author failed to mention that the study was done at the University of California Institute of Human Development and was supported in part by United States Public Health Service Grant MH 06238-02. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1967-16574-001.) Longitudinal data were used to assess the relationship between childhood social class and the development of particular defense mechanisms in adulthood. Childhood social class was correlated with ratings of defense mechanisms made when Ss were 30 yr. old. The results show that denial is negatively and projection and intellectualization are positively correlated with childhood social class. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Repression-Sensitization and Medical Diagnosis": Erratum.

Reports an error in the original article by Mark S. Schwartz, Neal E. Krupp, and Donn Byrne (Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1971[Dec], 78[3], 286-291). In Table 3 the number of female repressors in the 60-69 age group, with a purely organic diagnosis, should be 16 instead of 6. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1972-09554-001.) The transsituational consistency of trait measures can be demonstrated best through the establishment of relationships between personality test responses and nontest behaviors. The repression-sensitization scale shows promise as a correlate of both psychological disturbance and physiological malfunctioning. The association between repression-sensitization scale responses and medical diagnoses was investigated in 360 medical patients representing (a) 3 age levels (20-29, 40-49, and 60-69); (b) 3 repression-sensitization levels (repressors, neutrals, and sensitizers); and (c) both sexes, with 20 patients in each group. Repressors tended to have purely organic diagnoses, whereas sensitizers received diagnoses involving psychological components (p     

"Assimilation Theory and the Ponzo Illusion: Quantitative Predictions": Erratum.

Reports an error in "Assimilation theory and the Ponzo illusion: Quantitative predictions" by A. W. Pressey, N. Butchard and L. Scrivner (Canadian Journal of Psychology Revue Canadienne de Psychologie, 1971[Dec], Vol 25[6], 486-497). A corrected formula is provided. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1972-10045-001.) Predicted that the ponzo illusion would increase, and then decrease as angle of the oblique arms increased, on the basis of assimilation theory. A reversed illusion was predicted when the angle was very obtuse. 4 orientations of the ponzo illusion were employed. In these the apex pointed to the top, bottom, left, and right. A different orientation was used on each of 4 sessions separated by a minimum of 1 day. The order was randomized for each of 9 men and 6 women ss. Both predictions were verified. Data suggest a change in the attentive field postulate of assimilation theory, and a general formula was derived to obtain a numerical estimate of illusion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of initial trauma exposure on the symptomatic response to a subsequent trauma.

The effect of initial trauma on the symptomatic response to a subsequent trauma was investigated in a cross-sectional study of urban bus drivers. Comparisons were made among 175 drivers (mean age 42.2 yrs) who had developed either high or low symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the initial trauma, and a third group exposed to only a single trauma. The group with high levels Of PTSD symptoms after the initial trauma reported high PTSD symptoms for a subsequent trauma (75%) significantly more often than the other two groups who did not differ from each other (Low PTSD symptoms group 49%, No prior trauma group 41 %). These results suggest that unless trauma exposure leads to significant PTSD symptoms, it is not a risk factor for high PTSD symptoms after exposure to a subsequent traumatic event. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The interactive effects of conscientiousness and agreeableness on job performance.

The authors hypothesized that the relationship between conscientiousness and job performance would be stronger for persons high in agreeableness than for those low in agreeableness. Results of hierarchical moderated regression analyses for 7 independent samples of employees across diverse occupations provided support for the hypothesis in 5 of the samples. In samples supporting the hypothesis, among the highly conscientious workers, those low in agreeableness were found to receive lower ratings of job performance than workers high in agreeableness. One explanation for lack of an interaction between conscientiousness and agreeableness in the other 2 samples is that those jobs were not characterized by frequent, cooperative interactions with others. Overall, the results show that highly conscientious workers who lack interpersonal sensitivity may be ineffective, particularly in jobs requiring cooperative interchange with others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of writing therapy in comparison to EMD/R on traumatic stress: The relationship between hypnotizability and client expectancy to outcome.

Many psychologists encourage clients to engage in journal writing to supplement individual psychotherapy. Empirical evidence supports the use of writing when targeted at traumatic memories. The most thoroughly researched writing strategy, developed by J. Pennebaker (1989), suggests that writing is most effective when it targets a specific memory along with the emotional components of that memory. Effective writing therapy is thus procedurally similar to effective exposure therapy for fear and traumatic memories. This investigation examined structured writing as a self-contained treatment by comparing it to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and it was found to be effective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"CS and UCS intervals and orders in human autonomic classical differential trace conditioning": Erratum.

Reports an error in "CS and UCS intervals and orders in human autonomic classical differential trace conditioning" by John J. Furedy (Canadian Journal of Psychology Revue Canadienne de Psychologie, 1970[Dec], Vol 24[6], 417-426). The diagram appearing in this erratum should be substituted for the diagram appearing as Figure 2 on p. 423 of the article. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1971-24206-001.) Measured the GSR and digital volume-pulse change in 4 groups of 80 Ss each with light and tone as CS and shock as UCS. For Groups I and II, the CS-UCS interval was .75 and 7.5 sec., respectively; for Groups III and IV, the UCS-CS interval was .75 and 7.5 sec., respectively. Group III showed 'backward' differential conditioning in the GSR; Group II yielded reliable conditioning of 'multiple responses' occurring before UCS onset; the magnitude and extent of conditioning was greater in Group I than in Groups II and III, which did not differ; some evidence for 'reverse' conditioning was suggested in Group IV, with slightly greater responding to the CS not paired with the UCS; instructions which distracted 1/2 the Ss from the CS did not affect responding to those stimuli. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of response restriction during exposure to inescapable shock upon subsequent one-way and shuttle-avoidance performance in rats.

Investigated the effects of signaled inescapable shock on subsequent avoidance performance in 3 experiments with male Holtzman rats (N = 188). Exp I indicated that prior shock exposure (PSE) facilitated 1-way and shuttle avoidance. When Ss were preshocked in a harness so that free mobility was not possible, the facilitative effects of PSE on shuttle, but not 1-way avoidance performance, were largely reduced. Exp II indicated that activity during CS periods following PSE was greater among unrestrained than restrained Ss. Exp III showed that immobilization via injection of succinylcholine chloride did not affect the facilitative effects of PSE relative to that of Ss preshocked in a harness. Results are interpreted in terms of response repertoire changes produced by PSE in conjunction with the response requirement of the avoidance task. (French summary) (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adult attachment, perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation, and depression in gay males: Examining the mediation and moderation effects.

This study examined perceived discrimination as both a mediator and moderator between adult attachment (anxiety and avoidance) and levels of depression in a gay male sample. Survey data were collected from 234 self-identified gay males through the Internet and in person through community resources across several states. Results from structural equation modeling analyses indicated that perceived discrimination partially mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety (but not attachment avoidance) and depression. Moderation of attachment (anxiety and avoidance) by perceived discrimination on levels of depression was not supported. Additionally, about 23% of the variance in perceived discrimination was explained by attachment, and 47% of the variance in depression was accounted for by attachment and perceived discrimination. Clinical implications, limitations, and areas for future research are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of evidence relating to effects of desegregation on the intellectual performance of Negroes.

"This is a review of evidence regarding the effects of educational desegregation on the scholastic achievement of Negroes. It focuses on the problem of identifying the important situational determinants of Negro performance in the racially mixed classroom. Only a few studies have dealt directly with this problem, so that much of the evidence… is only inferential. Included are reports on the academic progress of Negro children attending integrated schools, evidence on aspects of the minority child's experience in desegregation that presumably affect his motivation to learn, relevant research on the behavioral effects of psychological stress, and finally, a series of experiments on Negro productivity in biracial settings." In desegregated school situations "there appear to be a variety of favorable and detrimental influences on Negro performance." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)