Lewis A Bizo

Erroneous beliefs among frequent fruit-machine gamblers (Presentation)

Carla-Jane R. Strickland — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:31:29 PDT

The present studies investigated the extent to which fruit-machine gamblers held erroneous beliefs, specifically the illusion of control and gambler's fallacy. In Study 1, 9 participants were interviewed and their audiotaped responses submitted to a thematic analysis, which suggested that the 4 frequent gamblers were more likely to express beliefs and statements consistent with the cognitive biases of illusion of control and the gambler's fallacy than the 5 infrequent gamblers. This observation was confirmed in the second study when the Gamblers' Beliefs Questionnaire (GBQ) was completed by 37 participants (10 frequent gamblers, 11 infrequent gamblers and 16 non-gamblers). Frequent fruit machine gamblers were more inclined than infrequent fruit machine gamblers to express beliefs consistent with the cognitive biases, the illusion of control and the gambler's fallacy.

Erroneous beliefs among frequent fruit-machine gamblers

Carla-Jane R. Strickland — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:21:55 PDT

Influences of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, mood and aversive feedback on simulated physiotherapy performance

Imogen Tijou — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:49:14 PDT

The literature suggests self-efficacy (SE), outcome expectations (OE), mood and pain are important in physiotherapy adherence. SE and OE have been found to be important in healthcare including physiotherapy. The influences of mood and pain on physiotherapy adherence are less well studied. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of SE, OE, mood and pain on performance at a simulated physiotherapy task.A physiotherapy computer simulation required participants to respond at a steady speed over an extended period to achieve virtual recovery. Performance feedback was given in an auditory (loud 'scream' whenever a physiotherapy 'movement' was performed, that decreased in volume with recovery), visual (on-screen red bar which reduced with recovery) or combined, auditory plus visual form. This manipulation enabled separation of the informative value and aversive components of pain in real therapy (simulated by visual and auditory feedback respectively). Eighty-four student participants completed SE, OE, and mood questionnaires at baseline and five further points.Results showed that those in the visual condition recovered more than those in the auditory and combined conditions, as a result of the participants in the visual condition more closely following exercise instructions. Regressions showed more positive OE, SE and mood were associated with better adherence.It was concluded that in this simulation positive mood, aversive feedback and SE and OE were important to performance. This may have implications for patients undergoing physiotherapy in that it may be beneficial to manage early expectations and mood since aversive feedback (e.g. pain) influences performance.

Time's causes

Peter R. Killeen — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:49:12 PDT

What is time? St. Augustine knew: "I know what time is", he said, "but if someone asks me, I cannot tell him" (Landes, 1983, p. 1). Not much help. It is the business of scientists to tell, and another ancient philosopher tells us how to tell: Aristotle sought to understand phenomena--and communicate that knowledge-- by identifying their four "[be]causes", which he called material, final, efficient, and formal. We have interpreted these as questions about what (description/definition and substrate), why (function), how (mechanism), and like (analogs and models). These four causes organize our analysis of time and timing.

Influence of beliefs, mood and aversive feedback on adherence to a physiotherapy simulation

Imogen Tijou — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:49:11 PDT

This pilot study aimed to assess the contribution of self-efficacy (SE) and outcome expectations (OE; which have a cognitive influence on behaviour) and mood and pain (which have an automatic influence on behaviour) on performance on a physiotherapy simulation. Thirteen participants were randomly assigned to two experimental conditions; auditory (aversive) or visual feedback (informational). To achieve virtual recovery from their simulated shoulder injury, participants needed to repeat simulated movements (controlled by a computer key) at a steady speed over an extended period of time. Feedback on their performance was given either in auditory form (a loud 'scream' whenever a physiotherapy 'movement' was performed, that decreased in volume as they recovered) or visually (an on-screen vertical red bar which reduced in height as they recovered). This manipulation was designed to enable separation of the informative value and the aversive component of pain in real therapy. The participants completed questionnaires that assessed SE, OE, and mood at baseline, at five points during the simulation and when finished. Non-parametric correlations and ANOVAs were conducted. Those in the visual condition adhered better than those in the auditory condition (effect size 0.39). SE and OE were weakly related to adherence until the last assessment during the simulation (effect sizes ranged from 0.03 to 0.77). Positive mood was related to adherence at every questionnaire point with a large effect size at baseline and the last three assessment points. This pilot study suggests that variables with an automatic influence on behaviour might be important in this physiotherapy simulation

Specific praise improves on-task behaviour and numeracy enjoyment: a study of year 4 pupils engaged in the numeracy hour

Karen Chalk — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:49:09 PDT

The effects of praise on student on-task behaviour, academic self-concept and numeracy enjoyment were investigated. Four year four classes and their teachers participated. Two teachers were instructed to use specific praise and two to use positive praise. Classes were independently observed on four occasions, twice before and twice after the praise intervention. Student on-task behaviour, numeracy enjoyment and academic self-concept were measured and teachers' use of praise was observed. Specific praise promoted more on-task behaviour than positive praise and significantly increased academic self-concept. Ratings of numeracy enjoyment were not significantly affected. Implications of this research for teaching practice are discussed.

Aggressive behaviour in dogs, the role of learning

Ed Redhead — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:49:07 PDT

Aggressive behaviour in dogs has become a major topic of scientific research in Northern Europe and USA. It ranks among the top problems presented to animal behaviour therapists. Research into the influence of owner/dog interactions on the development of aggression has yielded contradictory results. However in Animal Behaviour Therapy the influence of the owner's behaviour has proved to be a major factor in changing the animal's aggressive behaviour. In principal, aggressive behaviour in dogs can be considered normal, species-specific behaviour, essential for survival. Learning and genotype both play a role in its development. The principles of learning are relatively unknown to the general public and so are rarely applied systematically in everyday dog training. Typical training procedures and have been found to reinforce aggressive behaviour in dogs. The aim of the paper will be to illustrate this using various case studies from animal behaviour therapy sessions and how problematic aggressive behaviour within dogs can be modified.

Models of ratio schedule performance

Lewis A. Bizo — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:49:06 PDT

Predictions of P. R. Killeen's (1994) mathematical principles of reinforcement were tested for responding on ratio reinforcement schedules. The type of response key, the number of sessions per condition, and first vs. second half of a session had negligible effects on responding. Longer reinforcer durations and larger grain types engendered more responding, affecting primarily the parameter a (specific activation). Key pecking was faster than treadle pressing, affecting primarily the parameter d (response time). Longer intertrial intervals led to higher overall response rates and shorter postreinforcement pauses and higher running rates, and ruled out some competing explanations. The treadle data required a distinction between the energetic requirements and rate-limiting properties of extended responses. The theory was extended to predict pause durations and run rates on ratio schedules.

The educational impact of team skills training: preparing students to work in groups

Jane S. Prichard — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:49:04 PDT

Despite a vast literature on collaborative learning (CL), there is little research on preparing students to work collaboratively. This two-phase evaluation investigated whether team-skills training could enhance the performance of collaborative groups through the introduction of a team development programme to a group-based undergraduate key-skills unit. Phase 1 compared two consecutive cohorts of second-year students, Cohort 1 (N = 94) who received no preparation, and Cohort 2 (N = 113) who received team-skills training. Phase 2 added Cohort 3 (N = 88), who also received team-skills training, to extend the analysis. In Phase 1, students in both Cohorts 1 and 2 worked on a series of curriculum based key-skill tasks across two semesters. Students worked in one group in Semester 1 and were then formed into new groups for Semester 2. Effects of the training were measured by student group marks and key-skill ratings. Marks and key-skill ratings were significantly higher for the trained cohort in Semester 1 (p < .01). However, in Semester 2 performance reduced for the trained cohort in comparison to Semester 1. To explore this further, Phase 2 of the study evaluated Cohort 3, where after training, collaborative groups remained intact throughout the academic year. Results for Cohort 3 showed no attenuation of performance effects in Semester 2. Phase 1 results support the use of team-skills training to enhance CL group performance. The findings for Phase 2 suggest that these benefits may be lost if training groups are disrupted.

Human variable ratio performance

Lewis A. Bizo — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:49:02 PDT

The generality of the mathematical principles of reinforcement (MPR) was tested with humans. In Experiment 1A, participants' mouse clicks were reinforced according to a series of variable-ratio (VR) values. In one condition, a situated task was used (searching for treasure on a map presented via a PC monitor); in the other, abstract version of the task, participants clicked on a white screen. Under the "map" condition, response rates increased with increasing ratio value before decreasing with further ratio increases; under the "no-map" condition, response rates decreased linearly from a peak at the smallest ratio. In Experiment 1B, the pattern of responding was confirmed under the "map" conditions using a different set of ratio values. In Experiment 2, reinforcer magnitude was manipulated using the "map" context. Response rates did not differ significantly when large rather than small cash reinforcers were delivered according to a VR 30 but were significantly higher when large rather than small cash reinforcers were delivered according to a VR 120. Together these experiments offer qualified support for extending MPR to the behavior of human participants.