The present study was designed to test for sequential effects of partial punishment training.

Generally human titration performance under schedules of reinforcement has not been investigated. In an attempt to examine the variables which control titration, an interlocking progressive-ratio schedule was devised. Under an interlocking progressive-ratio schedule, the number of responses required for reinforcement increases by a constant (the increment value) after every ratio, but during each ratio the response requirement can be lowered (the decrement value) by emitting pauses of a specified duration (the stepdown duration). The first experiment sought to determine if children would titrate when exposed to interlocking progressive-ratio schedules. Although three of the four subjects did not show evidence of titration initially, through a series of manipulations all came under schedule control. Experiment 2 was conducted to determine the effects of a series of increment value manipulations on the level of titration. The series of increment values was tested under large and small decrement conditions. The results showed that increment value was an important determiner of titration level only when the decrement value was small. When the decrement value was large, changes in increment value had no effect upon titration. In Experiment 3 the effects of a series of decrement manipulations on titration level were examined. The decrement manipulations were investigated under two increment values. The results indicated that as the decrement value was decreased the titration level tended to increase under both increment conditions. In all of the experiments, rate of responding, pausing, titration variability, and patterns of responding were examined. Generally rate of responding, pausing, and response patterning were found to be related to changes in increment and decrement values. Titration variability showed no systematic changes across manipulations. Analysis of subjects' behavior in terms of preference indicated that the subjects tended to minimize number of responses rather than maximize reinforcement frequency. Subjects would pause to bring down the response requirement, and thus increase the time between reinforcements, rather than emit responses on a lever, which would have resulted in more reinforcements per unit of time.

Search asymmetry was used to test two theories of sustained attention lapses currently debated in the literature: the boredom-mindlessness theory and the resource depletion-mental fatigue theory. Participants performed feature present and a feature absent target detection tasks using either a sustained attention to response task (high Go low No-Go) or a traditionally formatted task (high No-Go low Go) response format. In addition to performance, functional near infrared spectroscopy was employed to measure lateral cerebral oxygenation levels and self-reports of tense arousal, energetic arousal, task related and unrelated thoughts occurring during the tasks were utilised. Detections were lower and reaction times longer in the feature absent search than the feature present search regardless of response format. Detections were lower, but reaction times shorter in the sustained attention to response task than the traditionally formatted task regardless of feature search. Greater right than left frontal hemisphere activation occurred in the sustained attention to response task than the traditionally formatted task. In addition, the sustained attention to response task was more fatiguing based on self-reports than the traditionally formatted task, but there were no differences in Task-Unrelated Thoughts across task conditions. Overall, the results of this study support a resource theory explanation of sustained attention lapses, not a mindlessness-boredom theory explanation. Moreover, the results suggest the sustained attention to response task places high response inhibition, not sustained attention, demands on participants.

This was a replication of a study performed by Szalma and Hancock (2006). The goal of the research was to determine whether a participant's choice (or perceived choice) of an "easy" or "hard" task had a significant effect on their performances on vigilance tasks. There were 2 groups of participants; each group chose their task difficulty and the first group received their choice, while the second group received the opposite condition of that which they requested. Research on factors which affect vigilance has practical implications for areas such as military surveillance and quality control, which require employees to observe monitors for extended periods of time for rare instances of critical signals.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of using imagery in eliminating post-rest warm-up decrement (WUD) in the volleyball serve, and to assess whether individual differences in imagery ability mediated any possible reductions in WUD. Thirty-nine State level volleyball players were placed into one of 3 groups, High Imagery, Control, and Low Imagery, based on their scores on the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire (VMIQ). Players served 15 balls at a designated target area, rested for 10 minutes, and then attempted 5 more serves. During the last 2 minutes of the rest period, the players in the High and Low Imagery groups engaged in imagery of successful serving every 10 seconds, for a total of 12 repetitions. The Control group continued to read a magazine article. To ensure adherence to the imagery instructions, players were evaluated at completion of testing. Results revealed the High Imagery group was significantly better on serving performance post-rest, however there was no significant differences when comparing the mean of the last 3 pre-rest trials with the first post-rest trial. The interaction approached significance (p_= .091) and suggested that the High Imagery group may have benefited from the use of imagery. These findings have implications for the Nacson and Schmidt's (1971) activity-set hypothesis that states that an appropriate task will reduce WUD. It may need to include the effect individual differences, such as imagery ability, may have on the performance of that task.

Examining the role of individual differences, especially variations in human motivation, in vigilance tasks will result in a better understanding of sustained semantic attention and processing, which has, to date, received limited study in the literature (see Fraulini, Hancock, Neigel, Claypoole, & Szalma, 2017; Epling, Russell, & Helton, 2016; Thomson et al., 2016). This present study seeks to understand how individual differences in intrinsic motivation affect performance in a short semantic vigilance task. Performance across two conditions (lure vs. standard condition) were compared in the present study of 79 undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida. The results indicated significant main effects of intrinsic motivation on pre- and post-task stress factors, workload, and performance measures, which included correct detections, false alarms, and response time. Sensitivity and response bias, which are indices of signal detection theory, were also examined in the present study. Intrinsic motivation influenced sensitivity, but not response bias, which was affected by period on watch. The theoretical and practical implications of this research are also discussed.

This study attempted to test! 1) an alternative interpretation of Amsel frustration effect and, 2) the possibility of extending Bindra’s novelty theory. Sixty-eight children were trained to pull two successive levers. During training two groups, 100:50 and 100:100, were always rewarded at the first goal box (G1) whereas two other groups, 0:50 and 0:0, were never rewarded at G1. During testing groups 100:50 and 0:50 were given 50% reward at G1 while groups 100:100 and 0:0 were respectively always rewarded and never rewarded at G1. All subjects were always rewarded at G2 both during training anti testing. The data did not yield the typical frustration effect which rendered the alternative interpretation un-testable. The data offered supportive evidence for Bindra’s novelty theory. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

No description available.

Considerações sobre tábua de vida e tábua de vida de múltiplo decremento foram feitas, dado que o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a magnitude da atuação de alguns grupos de agravos à saúde (doenças infecciosas e parasitárias, tumores malignos, incluindo as neoplasias malignas do tecido linfático e dos órgãos hematopoéticos, doenças cardiovasculares e acidentes, envenenamentos e violêcias) nas probabilidades de morte, de sobrevivência e nas esperanças de vida dos residentes no município de são Paulo em 1970. A esperança de vida ao nascer foi igual a 60,12 anos, no sexo masculino e 67,12 anos no sexo feminino. Foi detectado o importante papel das doenças infecciosas e parasitárias, em menores de 4 anos, pois caso não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte a probabilidade de morrer, nestas idades, teria sido reduzida em até 35 por cento , permitindo que a esperança de vida ao nascer tivesse acréscimos de 2,52 anos (4,19 por cento a mais) e 2,24 anos (3.33 por cento a mais) respectivamante para os homens e mulheres. Os tumores malilnos se não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte teriam reduzido a probabi1idade de morrer dos homens de 50 a 70 anos, em torno de 16 por cento e em 25 por cento , a das mulheres de 40 a 60 anos. Os ganhos nas esperanças de vida ao nascer seriam de 1,87 anos (3,11 por cento a mais) e 2,02 anos (3,01 por cento a mais) nos sexos masculino e feminino, respectivamente. As doenças cardiovasculares, principal grupo de causas de morte, reduziriam em até 60 por cento a probabilidade de morrer dos residentes no municipio de são Paulo, em 1970, e propiciariam ganhos de 9,14 anos e 11,44 anos, respectivamente na esperança de vida ao nascer, masculina e feminina, caso não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte. Os acidentes, envenenamentos e violências, segundo grupo de causas de morte para os homens, caso não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte, teriam reduzido de 27,83 por cento até 65,17 por cento a probabilidade de morrer entre 4 e 40 anos, com isso a probabilidade de sobreviver dos 15 aos 65 anos, faixa de população economicamente ativa, seria de 66,87 por cento , em vez de 61,87 por cento . O ganho na esperança de vida ao nascer seria de 2,36 anos (3,93 por cento a mais). Após a análise de cada um dos grupos de causas pôde-se ordenar os principais grupos de doenças em função dos ganhos que propiciariam à esperança de vida ao nascer, caso não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte: no SEXO MASCULINO - cardiovasculares, infecciosas e parasitárias, acidentes, envenenamentos e violências e os tumores malignos; no sexo FEMININO - cardiovasculares, infecciosas e parasitárias, tumores malignos e os acidentes, envenenamentos e violências. Finalizando, levantou-se a hipótese de que o padrão de mortalidade no município de São Paulo, em 1970, refletiria a existência de problemas de saúde de uma população formada por setores distintos onde coexistiriam condições adversas a saúde típicas, ora de regiões consideradas desenvolvidas, ora de regiões em desenvolvimento. / General considerations about life tables and multiple decrement tables were made, since the objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of some diseases (Infective and Parasitic diseases, Neoplasms, Cardiovascular diseases and Accidents, Poisonings and Violence) on the probabilities of dying, survival, and on the expectation of life of the inhabitants of the City of são Paulo in 1970. The calculated male life expectancy was 60.12 years and the female was 67.12 years. The main role of the Infective diseases was detected among children bellow age 4. The reduction in their probability of dying, if the effect of these diseases was removed, would be near 35 per cent ; and these diseases cause a loss of 2.52 years(4.19 per cent ) and 2.24 years (3.33 per cent ) for the male and female life expectancies, respectively. If the effect of the Neoplasms was removed, it would reduce the probability of dying for males in 16 per cent , in the age interval 50 to 70 years, and 25 per cent for wómen in the age interval 40 to 60 years. This disease causes a loss of 1.87 years (3.11 per cent ) in the expectation of life for males and 2.02 years (3.01 per cent ) for females. The Cardiovascular diseases, the main group of causes of death, would reduce as much as 60 per cent the probability of dying, if their effect were removed. The \"gain\" in life expectancy would be 9.14 years and 14.44 years for men and women, respectively. Removing the effect of Accidents, Poisonings and Violence, the second main group of causes of death for men, the probability of dying for men, aged 4 to 40 years would be reduced between 27.83 per cent and 65.17 per cent . The probability of survival for the population at the economically productive ages (15 to 65 years) would be 66.87 per cent instead of 61.87 per cent . The loss for the life expectancy in this case, is 2.36 years (3.93 per cent ). After this analysis the main grbups of causes of death were ranked as: FOR MALES: Cardiovascular diseases, Infective and Parasitic diseases, Accidents, Poisonings and Violence and Neoplasms; FOR FEMALES: Cardiovascular diseases, Infective and Parasitic diseases, Neoplasms and Accidents, Poisonings and Violence. An apparently dichotomous population could be considered as an explanatory hypothesis for the pattern of mortality prevailing in 1970, in the City of são Paulo: health problem effects on the mortality as those of developed countries were found, coexisting with typical health problems of the underdeveloped countries.

Considerações sobre tábua de vida e tábua de vida de múltiplo decremento foram feitas, dado que o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a magnitude da atuação de alguns grupos de agravos à saúde (doenças infecciosas e parasitárias, tumores malignos, incluindo as neoplasias malignas do tecido linfático e dos órgãos hematopoéticos, doenças cardiovasculares e acidentes, envenenamentos e violêcias) nas probabilidades de morte, de sobrevivência e nas esperanças de vida dos residentes no município de são Paulo em 1970. A esperança de vida ao nascer foi igual a 60,12 anos, no sexo masculino e 67,12 anos no sexo feminino. Foi detectado o importante papel das doenças infecciosas e parasitárias, em menores de 4 anos, pois caso não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte a probabilidade de morrer, nestas idades, teria sido reduzida em até 35 por cento , permitindo que a esperança de vida ao nascer tivesse acréscimos de 2,52 anos (4,19 por cento a mais) e 2,24 anos (3.33 por cento a mais) respectivamante para os homens e mulheres. Os tumores malilnos se não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte teriam reduzido a probabi1idade de morrer dos homens de 50 a 70 anos, em torno de 16 por cento e em 25 por cento , a das mulheres de 40 a 60 anos. Os ganhos nas esperanças de vida ao nascer seriam de 1,87 anos (3,11 por cento a mais) e 2,02 anos (3,01 por cento a mais) nos sexos masculino e feminino, respectivamente. As doenças cardiovasculares, principal grupo de causas de morte, reduziriam em até 60 por cento a probabilidade de morrer dos residentes no municipio de são Paulo, em 1970, e propiciariam ganhos de 9,14 anos e 11,44 anos, respectivamente na esperança de vida ao nascer, masculina e feminina, caso não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte. Os acidentes, envenenamentos e violências, segundo grupo de causas de morte para os homens, caso não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte, teriam reduzido de 27,83 por cento até 65,17 por cento a probabilidade de morrer entre 4 e 40 anos, com isso a probabilidade de sobreviver dos 15 aos 65 anos, faixa de população economicamente ativa, seria de 66,87 por cento , em vez de 61,87 por cento . O ganho na esperança de vida ao nascer seria de 2,36 anos (3,93 por cento a mais). Após a análise de cada um dos grupos de causas pôde-se ordenar os principais grupos de doenças em função dos ganhos que propiciariam à esperança de vida ao nascer, caso não tivessem sido fator de risco de morte: no SEXO MASCULINO - cardiovasculares, infecciosas e parasitárias, acidentes, envenenamentos e violências e os tumores malignos; no sexo FEMININO - cardiovasculares, infecciosas e parasitárias, tumores malignos e os acidentes, envenenamentos e violências. Finalizando, levantou-se a hipótese de que o padrão de mortalidade no município de São Paulo, em 1970, refletiria a existência de problemas de saúde de uma população formada por setores distintos onde coexistiriam condições adversas a saúde típicas, ora de regiões consideradas desenvolvidas, ora de regiões em desenvolvimento. / General considerations about life tables and multiple decrement tables were made, since the objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of some diseases (Infective and Parasitic diseases, Neoplasms, Cardiovascular diseases and Accidents, Poisonings and Violence) on the probabilities of dying, survival, and on the expectation of life of the inhabitants of the City of são Paulo in 1970. The calculated male life expectancy was 60.12 years and the female was 67.12 years. The main role of the Infective diseases was detected among children bellow age 4. The reduction in their probability of dying, if the effect of these diseases was removed, would be near 35 per cent ; and these diseases cause a loss of 2.52 years(4.19 per cent ) and 2.24 years (3.33 per cent ) for the male and female life expectancies, respectively. If the effect of the Neoplasms was removed, it would reduce the probability of dying for males in 16 per cent , in the age interval 50 to 70 years, and 25 per cent for wómen in the age interval 40 to 60 years. This disease causes a loss of 1.87 years (3.11 per cent ) in the expectation of life for males and 2.02 years (3.01 per cent ) for females. The Cardiovascular diseases, the main group of causes of death, would reduce as much as 60 per cent the probability of dying, if their effect were removed. The \"gain\" in life expectancy would be 9.14 years and 14.44 years for men and women, respectively. Removing the effect of Accidents, Poisonings and Violence, the second main group of causes of death for men, the probability of dying for men, aged 4 to 40 years would be reduced between 27.83 per cent and 65.17 per cent . The probability of survival for the population at the economically productive ages (15 to 65 years) would be 66.87 per cent instead of 61.87 per cent . The loss for the life expectancy in this case, is 2.36 years (3.93 per cent ). After this analysis the main grbups of causes of death were ranked as: FOR MALES: Cardiovascular diseases, Infective and Parasitic diseases, Accidents, Poisonings and Violence and Neoplasms; FOR FEMALES: Cardiovascular diseases, Infective and Parasitic diseases, Neoplasms and Accidents, Poisonings and Violence. An apparently dichotomous population could be considered as an explanatory hypothesis for the pattern of mortality prevailing in 1970, in the City of são Paulo: health problem effects on the mortality as those of developed countries were found, coexisting with typical health problems of the underdeveloped countries.