Effects of retraining following response prevention on extinction of escape behavior

Sixty female hooded rats received a sequence of 40 shock-escape training trials, 20 response prevention (or pseudoprevention) trials, either 0, 5, or 20 shock-escape retraining trials and then nonshock extinction procedures. Results of extinction using escape speed and trials-to-criterion indices showed that, in each retraining condition, response prevention reliably facilitated extinction relative to pseudoprevention controls, the degree of facilitation decreasing as amount of retraining increased. In 5-and 20-trial retraining conditions, prevention procedures also reliably impaired shock-escape performance on early retraining trials, this effect dissipating before the start of extinction.     

Bibliotherapy: a critique of the literature

Most of the literature on bibliotherapy has been nonscientific, because of the too broad use of the term "bibliotherapy." The author proposes, for the sake of clarification in the literature, that "bibliotherapy" be defined as a program of selected activity involving reading materials which is planned, conducted, and controlled under the guidance of a physician as treatment for psychiatric patients and which uses, if needed, the assistance of a trained librarian. Bibliotherapy, then, falls into three categories: books prescribed for a patient, books selected by a patient, and group discussion of books. Bibliotherapy may be helpful by facilitating abreaction, projection, narcissistic gratification, verbalization, constructive thinking between interviews, and reinforcement of social and cultural patterns. Bibliotherapy is probably indicated in self-motivated neurotic patients who ask for helpful reading materials. Bibliotherapy offers no panacea, but with proper scientific study may help many patients.     

Environmental news: coverage of the Earth Summit by Brazilian newspapers

This article examines how two important Brazilian newspapers (Floha de S. Paulo and O Globo) covered the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) or Earth Summit. The analysis will also determine the characteristics of the environmental media and its significance when it comes to coverage of environmental issues. This article provides historical background information on the environmental media in the US and in Brazil, contextual information on the Earth Summit, a content analysis of stories about UNCED published by the two Brazilian newspapers. Overall, 649 news items were used to determine the type of sources used, as well as the kind of issues covered. The analysis showed that government officials were the most frequently cited sources, while environmentalists and scientists were all but ignored as news sources. The analysis also indicated that economic issues were surprisingly prominent in the coverage. These results are compatible with the previous studies done in several countries and indicate that environmental media are still extremely reliant on "official" voices. The finding also highlight the fact that the range of issues covered by the environmental media largely reflects the perceived public agenda.     

The Dynamics of Leisure Motivation: The Effects of Outcome on Leisure Needs

Abstract

Predicated upon the premise that leisure needs are socially determined and therefore dynamic qualities of leisure motivation, this field study investigated the effects of outcome (winning, losing, no outcome) of leisure participation on male and female subjects' leisure needs. Subjects were 438 players of 60 teams in the intramural basketball program comprised of competitive and recreational leagues. Factor analysis produced seven need factors, of which three dealt with interpersonal relationships, two with competence and two with escape or diversion. ANOVAs performed on the resultant factor scores showed that successful and unsuccessful leisure experiences strongly shaped subjects' needs for leisure participation, but these effects were often mediated by the sex of subjects and the competitive levels of leagues in which they played. Generally, winning and losing had just the opposite effects on males' and females' needs; winning increased females' and decreased males' needs. The effects of competitiveness of league types suggested that competitive and recreational leagues serve different psychological functions for males and females because the two leagues are expected to fulfill different leisure needs.     

Neuropsychology of Early-treated Phenylketonuria: Specific Executive Function Deficits

This study explored the hypothesis that children with early-treated phenylketonuria (PKU) are selectively impaired on executive function measures, even when still on diet. The rationale for this hypothesis is that even mild elevations in phenylalanine (Phe) can lead to lower central levels of biogenic amines, including dopamine (DA). We hypothesize that this mild DA depletion causes subtle prefrontal dysfunction, which in turn affects executive functions such as set maintenance, planning, and organized search. 11 preschool early-treated PKU children (M age = 4.64) and a sample of age- and IQ-matched unaffected peers (n = 11) were evaluated on a battery of executive function (EF) measures. In addition, a "non-executive function" task, recognition memory, was administered to all subjects. Group comparisons demonstrated that PKU children were significantly impaired on an executive function composite score; there were no group differences, however, in recognition memory. These results supported the hypothesized specific deficit in executive function. Furthermore, within the PKU group the executive function composite score was significantly negatively correlated with concurrent phenylalanine levels, even after controlling for the correlation between IQ and executive function skills. This second finding provides support for the proposed biochemical mechanism underlying the specific cognitive deficits.     

Text reference service: Teens' perception and use

Focus group interviews were conducted to investigate how teen library users perceive and use text reference service. Findings indicate that teens have a mixed attitude toward the service, and they anticipate using it primarily for imposed queries. Teens' perception of three aspects of the service is also discussed: response time, librarians' use of texting abbreviations, and the impact of texting constraints. Strategies are provided to increase awareness, motivate use, and meet expectations. Findings will help inform libraries' text reference practice, providing them with a clear understanding of how teens can benefit from the service, and how their information needs can be fulfilled to their satisfaction. Such an understanding will then lead libraries to develop more effective strategies to promote and deliver library services to teens, strengthen the role libraries play in teens' information-seeking process, and establish a positive and sustaining relationship between teens and libraries.     

Audiences,metaphors, and the Persian Gulf war

This paper examines George Bush's Persian Gulf war addresses as a representative anecdote of Bush's campaign to build an international military coalition. The paper argues that in war rhetoric international audiences should be considered. A theorization of the international audience is offered. George Bush's public speeches are then analyzed as they use two metaphoric clusters. The SAVAGE cluster is used to justify a response to Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The CIVILIZATION cluster is used to justify an American‐led military response. The metaphoric clusters are shown to be persuasive to the international audience as they are adopted and recirculated by this audience. Conclusions and implications of the interaction of these two metaphoric clusters for future war rhetoric are offered.     

Evaluation use and involvement of internal stakeholders: The case of a new non-degree online program in Brazil

To what extent does the intense and direct involvement of internal stakeholders, such as program managers and staff members, play a significant role toward evaluation use? Stakeholder involvement is a key element in evaluation and evaluation use is considered within a broader sense that includes organizational knowledge, individual skills, and immediate program reviews. The background of this new non-degree online program is directly related to the Brazilian socioeconomic, cultural, and educational framework. Conclusions include 12 major claims related to program evaluation and an integrative approach involving Patton's and Stake's evaluation theories. Although delimited by the natural boundaries of a case study design, conclusions may benefit the strategic discussion of program evaluation in similar situations, at both professional and academic levels.