Probability Learning: Changes in Behavior Across Time and Development

Individuals track probabilities, such as associations between events in their environments, but less is known about the degree to which experience—within a learning session and over development—influences people's use of incoming probabilistic information to guide behavior in real time. In two experiments, children (4–11 years) and adults searched for rewards hidden in locations with predetermined probabilities. In Experiment 1, children (n = 42) and adults (n = 32) changed strategies to maximize reward receipt over time. However, adults demonstrated greater strategy change efficiency. Making the predetermined probabilities more difficult to learn (Experiment 2) delayed effective strategy change for children (n = 39) and adults (n = 33). Taken together, these data characterize how children and adults alike react flexibly and change behavior according to incoming information.     

Effects of Context on Students’ Molecular‐Level Ideas

In the studies reported here, we investigate the effects of context on students’ molecular‐level ideas regarding aqueous solutions. During one‐on‐one interviews, 19 general chemistry students recruited from a two‐year community college and a research university in the United States were asked to describe their molecular‐level ideas about various aqueous solutions in the contexts of conductivity and boiling‐point (BP) elevation. Results indicate that context is important for determining the molecular‐level ideas that students express. Specifically, students were significantly more likely to draw pictures of aqueous NaCl as separated ions in the conductivity context compared with the BP elevation context, for which they more often drew “molecular” NaCl. This phenomenon was particularly striking because the students drew molecular‐level NaCl(aq) pictures in the BP elevation context just minutes after completing the identical task in the context of conductivity. Additional data from laboratory assignments and course examinations further indicate that, even if students are able to correctly represent the molecular level in some contexts, their knowledge may remain inert in slightly different contexts. The results emphasise the importance of the context dependence of molecular‐level ideas and have implications for designing instruction in which students develop robust, coherent understandings that they can apply appropriately in new contexts.     

Pubertal Development: Correspondence Between Hormonal and Physical Development

Puberty is advanced by sex hormones, yet it is not clear how it is best measured. The interrelation of multiple indices of puberty was examined, including the Pubertal Development Scale (PDS), a picture-based interview about puberty (PBIP), and a physical exam. These physical pubertal measures were then associated with basal hormones responsible for advancing puberty. Participants included 160 early adolescents (82 boys). Puberty indices were highly correlated with each other. The physical exam stages correlated well with boys' and girls' testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone and less so with girls' estradiol. The PDS and PBIP were similarly related to basal hormones. Self-report may be adequate when precise agreement is unnecessary. Multiple measures of puberty are viable options, each with respective strengths.     

Transfer of indigenous technology—some indian cases

Based on questionaire responses from clients who have taken over indiginous technologies for commercialisation, an attempt has been made to identify and assess the relative magnitude and impact of the positive and negative factors influencing technology trnsfers. Parameters dealt with in this study relate to: (a) problems of time-lag; (b) the status, nature and extent of development of technologies; (c) sources of help in the commercial implementation of the technologies; (d) qualitative aspects of factors, such as plant design, operational difficulties, market demand and post-trnsfer assistance given by the transferring institutions; (e) capital investment needed for commercialisation of the technologies;p and (f) the general reaction of the clients to the technology transferred. The conclusions deal with minimising time-consuming procedural interlinks, selection of clients, avoidable managerial lapses in project selection, improving and augmenting the design and engineering capability of the transferring institutions, and uniform wxtension of post-transfer services to the clients.     

‘All-things-considered,’ ‘Better-than,’ And Sports Rankings

Comparative judgments abound in sports. Fans and pundits bandy about which of two players or teams is bigger, faster, stronger, more talented, less injury prone, more reliable, safer to bet on, riskier to trade for, and so on. Arguably, of most interest are judgments of a coarser type: which of two players or teams is, all-things-considered, just plain better? Conventionally, it is accepted that such comparisons can be appropriately captured and expressed by sports rankings. Rankings play an important role in sports arguably because of the conventional acceptance that rankings capture and express all-things-considered relations between the ranked teams or players. Standard ranking practices rely on a number of widely held assumptions. I discuss three of the most important and argue that at least one of them must be false. If this is right, the strong and growing commitment to using rankings to determine participation in tournaments and the awarding of championships is mistaken. At the least, given the conventional wisdom about rankings, my argument provides good reasons to be skeptical that any particular ranking ‘gets it right’. At the limit, it suggests that our most basic assumptions about all-things-considered athletic quality are wrong.     

HIV/AIDS information needs of sexually transmitted infection clinic patients: content analysis of questions asked during prevention counseling

Basic factual information about disease is the cornerstone of health promotion and disease prevention interventions. Previous studies have shown that content analysis of the questions asked of service providers can elucidate the information needs of service consumers. Questions asked by individuals at known high risk for HIV infection have not previously been examined. The current study analyzed 944 questions asked by 634 patients receiving HIV‐risk‐reduction counseling services at an urban sexually transmitted infections clinic. Questions were captured from audiotape recordings of risk‐reduction counseling sessions that were subsequently transcribed and content‐analyzed. A total of 49% of clients asked at least one question in their counseling session. Asking counselors questions was not associated with demographic characteristics or AIDS‐related knowledge. Questions were found to fit the AIDS information content structure identified in past research. The most common questions asked by sexually transmitted infection clients concerned condoms and other barrier methods of prevention (15%), HIV symptoms and disease progression (14%) and HIV antibody testing (11%). These results show that many individuals at high risk for HIV infection have substantial information needs, and that basic education about AIDS facts should not be neglected in HIV prevention interventions.     

Association of Low Serum Iron with Alpha Globin Gene Deletions and High Level of HbF with Xmn-1 Polymorphism in Sickle Cell Traits

Usually sickle cell traits are asymptomatic but co-existence of various factrors may alter the clinical as well as biochemical levels. In India sickle cell traits are neglected condition. Here we are presenting the alpha deletion in association with low serum iron and increased HbF level with Xmn-1 carriers in sickle cell traits. Sickle traits with alpha deletions had significantly low level of serum iron (P-value <0.05) with low level of reticulocytes and red cell indices while Xmn-1 polymorphism associated with increased HbF level. Study concludes low serum iron associated with alpha deletions and high level of HbF associated with Xmn-1 polymorphism in sickle cell traits.