The basic results of the present experimental investigation confirm those of an earlier study, indicating that anxiety functions as an activator of speech increasing productivity, simultaneously disrupting its flow by increasing the frequency of speech disturbances. (Author/KJ)

A cross-sectional and a longitudinal study were conducted to answer questions about (1) the development and nature of premenstrual adolescent girls' expectations about menstrual symptoms, (2) expectations for and beliefs about menstrual symptoms as they relate to the actual experience of menarche, and (3) sources of information about menstruation…

The study assessed free play and response to modeled symbolic play with animate toys and realistic and substitute accessories in 10 autistic children, 10 Down's syndrome, and 10 normal preschooler controls. Findings suggested impaired imitative capacity and symbolic functioning in autism. (Author)

Studied relevance of power and involvement in supervisory relationship. Analyzed by multiple-case-study approach Goodyear supervision interview series and compared results with previous findings. Found each interview, although following pattern of teacher-learner interaction, exhibited unique sequence of messaging style between supervisor and…

Tested methodology (based on Dervin's sense-making theory) used to identify how adolescents approach nutrition concerns and questions. Used time-line interview technique with adolescents (N=305) aged 14 to 16. Identified 4 groups, 2 of which described action-oriented approaches to dealing with nutrition situations and differing in terms of how…

Followed patients (N=499) hospitalized for suicide attempts (attempters) between 1970 and 1975 until 1982. Found under six percent eventually committed suicide. Found the interrupted attempters were approximately three times more likely to commit suicide than were the uninterrupted attempters. (Author/ABL)

An explanation of action slips is offered that examines controlled actions in the context of an intentional behavior theory. Actions are considered guided by mentally represented intentions, subdivided into goal intentions and contingent instrumental intentions. Action slips are categorized according to problem areas in the enactment of goal…

Used video-based observations to assess travels of 40 nursing home residents, 24 of whom were wanderers. Monitored travel continuously for 30 days, recording over 5,000 unassisted travel events. Observed four basic travel patterns: direct travel, lapping, random travel, and pacing. Travel efficiency was significantly related to cognitive status,…

Explored the effects of spouses' wake and sleep patterns on marital adjustment in couples (n=150). Couples whose wake and sleep patterns were mismatched reported significantly less marital adjustment, more marital conflict, less time spent in serious conversation, less time spent in shared activities and less frequent sexual intercourse.…

The author argues that the gap between theory of mind and moral reasoning research may be more apparent than real. The wider gap is between sociomoral cognitions and real-world behavior. She calls for research on the relation of children's mental state and moral understanding to their sociomoral behavior.

A sequence of behaviors consisting of appropriate responses, inappropriate responses, or a combination of both can be linked together in a behavior chain. Several operant processes may disrupt behavior chains. For example, one or more members of the behavior chain may be affected when reinforcement is withheld for the last response in the chain…

Do children have coexisting but contradictory beliefs about things like magic? Some patterns of behavior that seem to reflect contradictory beliefs may stem from children's recognition that their knowledge about events is incomplete and therefore things may occur without them understanding how. In addition, children may hold certain beliefs that…

In the present study, we used a probe-detection task to compare attentional allocation to the eyes versus mouth regions of the face in high-functioning boys with autism relative to normal control boys matched for chronological age and IQs. We found that with upright faces, children from both groups attended more to the eyes region than to the…

This article reviews evidence and theories concerning the nature of stimulus representations in Pavlovian conditioning. It focuses on the elemental approach developed in stimulus sampling theory (R. C. Atkinson & W. K. Estes, 1963; R. R. Bush & F. Mosteller, 1951b) and extended by I. P. L. McLaren and N. J. Mackintosh (2000, 2002) and contrasts…