Accurate DRL performance in the pigeon: Comparison between perching and treadle pressing

Homing pigeons were reinforced for emitting a perching response according to differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) schedules. The spacing requirement between successive perchings was progressively increased by 1-sec steps up to 70 sec and then abruptly decreased to 60, 40, and 20 sec. IRT/OP (interresponse time/opportunity) functions were maximal near the time of reinforcement. The coefficients of variation of the IRT distributions (ratio between the interquartile range and median IRT) fluctuated around .32, testifying for equivalent levels of adjustment throughout the critical IRT range. The ratio between reinforced and total IRTs ranged between .90 and .20. These data contrast with the performance of another group of pigeons reinforced for a treadle-pressing response according to DRL schedules (flatter IRT/OP functions, high coefficients of variation, and low efficiencies). Despite these differences in temporal regulation between perching and treadle-pressing DRL, response rates and reinforcement rates followed the same trend in both cases: they decreased as schedule value increased. The DRL perching results are similar to previous results obtained in the same species when perching duration was reinforced.     

参观胡庆余堂随想

2008年岁末隆冬,我第4次踏上访问杭州的旅程。记得1965年春我首次来杭,这座充满江南风情的城市就给我留下美好而难忘的印象。那时西子湖畔桃红柳绿,各大庙宇和名胜古迹均向游人开放,供人们自由观览。那时居民的住宅大都是粉墙黛瓦,很少看到高楼大厦。     

Experiencing the outdoors: peak episodes are interesting but the memories are pleasant

Inspired by the distinction between hedonic and eudaimonic feeling states, we examined the distinction between feelings of pleasure and interest as well as subsequent motivation related to participation in outdoor events among students of physical education (n = 64) in a Norwegian university college. The students reported on their experiences during two three-day trips: one coastal trip and one ski trip. The participants also reported how they felt about the trips after one week and after one month. The feelings of pleasure and interest were contrasted by analysing mean scores, factor loadings and regression coefficients. Momentary experiences typically showed higher scores for feelings of interest than for feelings of pleasure, but there were some exceptions. The interest-higher-than-pleasure tendency tended to disappear for remembered experiences. The results support the notion that pleasure and interest are separable emotions with distinct functions, but our findings are far from conclusive. Implications for outdoor leadership and future research are discussed.     

The play of education: Volunteer teachers in Experimental University Classes

This paper describes an Experimental academic program at Kent State University in which a volunteer, nonprofessional mode of teaching seems to have produced positive results. The phenomenon of volunteerism is puzzling, but the data collected from this Experimental program suggest that people like to teach and do it well when they are part of a divergent system of openness and continued growth. In any case, this program's idealistic objectives of self-directed learning and a strong sense of community have been implemented by using volunteers.     

Die erste Weltjugendkonferenz der UNESCO Grenoble, 23. August –1. September 1964

Ohne Zusammenfassung