Stimulus control in pigeons after extended discriminative training

The effects of amount of training on conditioned inhibition and on the degree of stimulus control were studied using pigeons. The ability of an S- associated with non-reinforcement of suppress positive reinforced behavior was acquired very rapidly during discriminative training. Increased S+, S- training appeared to weaken this conditioned inhibitory effect while at the same time more S+ training apparently increased the amount of external inhibition (non-conditioned inhibition) of positively reinforced behavior by a novel stimulus. Behavioral contrast and incremental generalization gradients along the S- dimension (inhibitory dimensional control) were absent at all stages of training. Behavioral contrast and inhibitory dimensional control are therefore not necessary concomitants of conditioned inhibition by an S-. A new method of assessing the suppressive effects of stimuli during generalization tests was described

Exploring Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education Personnel Preparation for Teaching Social Emotional Skills and Addressing Challenging Behavior

Social emotional development is crucial for all young children. Children who develop age-appropriate social emotional skills engage in positive peer relationships, establish friendship skills, and have competent problem-solving skills. Without adequate social emotional skills, young children are at risk for detrimental long and short-term consequences such as academic failure, exclusionary practices, and school dropout. Interventions and support from well-trained teachers are essential for young children to acquire these skills. Using an explanatory mixed method approach, this study investigated how early childhood (EC) and early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers were trained to teach social emotional skills and address challenging behavior. A quantitative survey explored Pyramid Model strategies covered in coursework and implemented during fieldwork, while qualitative focus groups delved into experiences and proposed innovations for improvement. Results revealed that EC/ECSE teachers felt more prepared to provide universal supports but less prepared to address more complex strategies and interventions. In addition, EC/ECSE teachers felt underprepared to teach social emotional content upon entering the workforce. Suggestions for innovations were also discussed. The findings of this study help inform policy, practice and future research to enhance teacher preparation to effectively address social emotional content

Light-adapted spectral sensitivity of the goldfish: A reflex measure

Light-adapted spectral sensitivity of the goldfish was measured using the dorsal light reaction--the reflexive tendency of fish to tilt their dorsal surface toward bright light. Subjects were placed between two 150[deg] extended monochromatic fields, one of which was always 532 nm. The angle of tilt toward or away from the 532 nm light was measured, and the relative intensities of the fields were adjusted until the fish did not tilt. Blind fish did not tilt at all, and fish without utricular otoliths tilted more than normal. The spectral sensitivity obtained using this method peaked near 600 nm and was shallow and broad. The results are similar to those of electrophysiological studies, but different from other behavioral studies.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/22775/1/0000330.pd

Discriminative effects of massed extincttion

Prior studies have reported that generalization gradients are not steepened if periods of non-reinforcement in S− follow and are not interspersed with periods of reinforcement in S+. Sharper gradients are produced by this massed-extinction procedure if it is preceded by prior discriminative training on a dimension orthogonal to the S+, S− dimension. The present study, using pigeons, found that generalization gradients along the wavelength dimension were steepened by massed-extinction sessions in 570 nm that had been preceded by: (1) discriminative training in which the S+ was a 550-nm light and the S− was a black vertical line superimposed on the 550-nm light; (2) non-differential reinforcement training with a 550-nm light and a black vertical line superimposed on the 550-nm light; (3) reinforcement training with only the 550-nm light. Massed-extinction sessions were administered until the response rate in the presence of the 570-nm stimulus was one-tenth of the mean response rate in the presence of the 550-nm stimulus during prior reinforcement training. Prior studies have used a time-dependent criterion, rather than a response-rate criterion of extinction, and this difference may be responsible for the differences in the effects of massed extinction on stimulus control