Reliability and sources of control of preference for signaled shock

Five experiments investigated the reliability of, and a possible explanation for, the preference for signaled shock (PSS) phenomenon, in which animals show a preference for signaled over unsignaled, unmodifiable shock. Experiment 1 demonstrated the generality of our previous PSS shuttlebox data. In an attempt to explain some of the studies in which a failure to obtain a PSS has been reported, Experiments 2 and 3 found that under certain conditions the PSS effect could be overridden by an innate preference for dark; however, the series of experiments in toto speaks clearly for the robustness of the phenomenon. Consistent with the recently proposed “crossover consequence hypothesis,” Experiments also revealed that shuttling behavior during manifestations of PSS is not randomly distributed in time. However, Experiments 4 and 5 found that PSS could not generally be attributed to an interaction between the acquired aversiveness of the signal and the spatially asymmetrical probability of shuttling being punished, as proposed by this hypothesis.     

Physics Students’ Conceptual Understanding of Geometric Optics: Revisited Analysis

Journal of Science Education and Technology - In this study, we used a research tool for measuring students’ conceptual understanding in optics, the Geometrical Optics Conceptual...     

Trial number and compound stimuli temporal relationship as joint determinants of second-order conditioning and conditioned inhibition

Two conditioned lick suppression experiments with rats used feature-negative training (A-footshock trials intermixed with nonreinforced XA presentations) to analyze the role of the number of XA compound presentations and the temporal relationship of the elements within the compound (simultaneous or serial) as determinants of the resulting behavioral control. Second-order conditioning (i.e., excitatory behavioral control by X) was observed to decline as the number of XA compound trials was increased. This decline was more rapid if X and A were presented simultaneously, as opposed to serially (i.e., X before A; Experiment 1). Conditioned inhibition to X, as assessed by a summation test (Experiment 1) and a retardation test (Experiment 2), increased with the number of XA trials and did so more quickly for simultaneous than for serial pairings of X and A. The results help to clarify previously discrepant findings regarding factors that promote excitation versus inhibition with this protocol.     

Neophobias and conditioned taste aversions in rats following exposure to novel flavors

Rats were successively exposed to three solutions with distinctively different flavors and then tested for both neophobia and propensity to form conditioned taste aversions to a fourth distinctively flavored solution. All permutations between the four solutions (salty, bitter, sweet, and sour) were examined. The prior exposures resulted in attenuation of neophobia to novel salty and sour solutions, but not to equally novel bitter or sweet solutions. These effects were found to depend upon thediversity of the prior ingestive events rather than upon either a single specific flavor experience or a summation of the reductions in generalized neophobia accrued by each substance separately; both of the latter findings are inconsistent with stimulus generalization being responsible for the observed attenuation of neophobia to salty and sour solutions following exposure to diverse different solutions. A further test of generalization between the salty and bitter solutions, consisting of associating one flavor with poison and extinguishing the avoidance response in half the animals prior to testing for generalization of conditioned taste aversion to the other flavor, also proved negative. Although these effects of exposure to flavors distinctly different from the test solution may be dependent upon solution concentrations, further research found that the same pretest exposures and same test concentrations failed to inhibit formation of conditioned taste aversions. A demonstration of “latent inhibition” attested to the sensitivity of our procedure to potential interference with acquisition of conditioned taste aversions. The results are considered in light of the relationship between neophobia and conditioned tasted aversions, the differential biological relevancy of specific tastes, and abstraction as a cognitive capability of rats. The possibility is raised that the defense against toxins is not the primary function of neophobia.     

Correspondence of Pubertal Neuroendocrine and Tanner Stage Changes in Boys and Associations With Substance Use

This study examined correspondence between timing (onset) and tempo (rate) of sexual maturation prospectively (average ages 11–16 years) measured by gonadal hormones and secondary sex characteristics (Tanner stage) using dual-process models, and associations of these measures with substance use (SU) involvement in boys at age 16 years (N = 534, 77.5% White/22.5% Non-White). All measures of timing were highly associated. Early Tanner stage timing often predicted slower increases in gonadal steroids, but not the reverse; patterns varied by ethnicity. Hormone and Tanner stage measures were similar earlier in development but diverged later in development. In White boys only, early timing of the pubertal rise in testosterone was associated with increased SU involvement, suggesting a physiological rather than psychosocial mechanism of association.     

Piloting a dispersed and inter-professional Lesson Study using technology to link team members at a distance

This article presents an evaluation of distance technology used in a novel Lesson Study (LS) approach involving a dispersed LS team for inter-professional purposes. A typical LS model with only school teachers as team members was modified by including university-based lecturers with the school-based teachers, using video-conferencing and online video sharing. The aim was to examine the experiences of using video-conferencing and video transfer technology to support the use of LS procedures to connect team members between schools and university. The meetings from two LS teams (primary and secondary) were recorded and analysed using a discourse analysis framework, and team members were interviewed after the LS cycle. Despite some technical difficulties, the communication between the dispersed members of the teams was largely smooth and successful. Extending LS teams and practice to include non school teachers, using distance-linking technology, can more effectively support teachers, while reducing the practical constraints of bringing other professionals into the LS team.     

Argumentative writing: theory,assessment, and instruction

Reading and Writing - Despite the early emergence of oral argumentation, written argumentation is slow to develop, insensitive to alternative perspectives, and generally of poor quality. These...