In each of two experiments, rats first received Pavlovian appetitive (food) conditioning in which white noise was established for different groups on the basis of either a two-or a four-pellet unconditioned stimulus (US) as a CS+ (a signal for the presence of food), CSo (a nonpredictive stimulus), or CS-(a signal for the absence of food). In Experiment 1, the conditioned stimulus (CS) was presented contingent on the food-reinforced response in a moderately difficult visual discrimination with the magnitude of the instrumental reinforcer matching that which the subject had received as a US. Relative to the performance of both the CSo and a novel-CS control, the CS+ retarded and the CS-facilitated learning for the two-pellet subjects but not for the four-pellet subjects. To eliminate any counteracting discriminability effects of the stronger four-pellet CSs, Experiment 2 employed the same design as Experiment 1 but instead used an easy visual discrimination. Again, the CS+ retarded and the CS-facilitated learning, but-as expected -these effects were now more pronounced for the four-than for the twopellet subjects. These findings are opposed to a general "cue" or signaling interpretation of the CS's properties. Instead, they offer strong support for a discrepancy (blocking) interpretation of both the within-and across-reinforcement (e.g., aversive to appetitive) transfer effects that are observed for CSs employed as response-contingent events proximal to a terminal reinforcer.Prior research investigating transfer from interpreted as reflecting dual-attribute learn-Pavlovian aversive (Av) to instramenal ing in Pavlovian conditioning: Depending appetitive (Ap) conditioning has shown on the correlation between the conditioned that a signal for shock (an AvCS+) con-stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimtingent on the food-reinforced response in ulus (US; cf. Rescorla, 1967), the primary a visual T-maze discrimination will facilitate associative property of the CS will be to learning, whereas a signal for the absence signal the presence (CS+) or absence of shock (an AvCS-) similarly applied (CS-) of a US; in addition, the CS will will retard such learning (Fowler, Fago, acquire a specific affective value reflecting Domber, & Hochhauser, 1973; Ghiselli & the nature of the US (i.e., Av or Ap) on Goodman & Fowler, 1976). which it is based. Assuming that the CS's These counterintuitive findings have been original affective value is a relatively transient property that is dependent on the US _,."~~~. 77', ~c 7 r presently available, it should be rapidly This study was submitted by the first author in v . r. . , . . ^ v ] partial fulfillment of the requirements for the extinguished and transformed to a new PhD degree at the University of Pittsburgh. The value in the context of a qualitatively differstudy was supported in part by United States ent reinforcer while leaving the CS's US-Public Health Service Grant MH-24115 to the s i gna ii ng va i ue largely intact. Hence, when Se

Psycholorn and other majors were surveyed before and after completing an introductory psychology course to determine their interest in topics traditionally covered in such a course. No substantial difference between the two groups wcls observed. In addition, interest levels did not change significantly as a result of the course experience. Students were most interested in topics relating to their immediate individual needs (e.g., interpersonal relationships) and least interested in the "hard science" aspects of psychology. Results are compared to a similar survey taken 50 years ago. Implications for course content and organization ure discussed.More than 50 years ago, Ruch (1937) stated that college teachers and textbook writers of elementary psychology "are obliged to analyze the 'market' and to create a product which meets a human need" (p. VI). Ruch surveyed students who had completed their first course in psychology to determine their interest in various topics traditional to psychology at the time. Ruch found that students were primarily interested in understanding themselves (e.g., personality and character) and in the application of psychology to practical problems (e.g., how to study and the training of children). In a more recent attempt to use student reactions in determining course content, Brown (1980) found student interest high in the areas of learning and memory, emotion, drugs and their effects, and mental health.We surveyed entry-level psychology majors and nonmajors before and after they took the introductory course.Our specific purposes were to: ( a ) determine if students' interests have changed since Ruch's ( 1937) survey, (b) determine if taking the introductory course has short-term effects on students' interests, (c) determine if the interests of entry-level psychology majors are different from those of nonmajors, and (d) examine the implicatiims of students' interests for course structure and emphasis. Method SubjectsSubjects were students enrolled in four sections of General Psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Three of the sections were designed for nonpsychology majors (pretest n = 132, posttest n = 129), and one was designed for psychology majors (pretest n = 44, posttest n = 36).Posttest sample size was reduced by student course withdrawals; in addition, the data from six psychology majors were excluded from the posttest because they faded to corn plete the second page of the aurvey Student pxtlclpdtlon was In partla1 sat~sfactlon of course requlrernent for re search involvement Survey Instrument and ProcedureA n 80-ltem lnterest survey was generated by select~ng toplcs from each of the "Chapter Object~ves" listed in the mstructor's resource manual (Bolt, 1986) accompanying thc text used In the course (Myers, 1986) Four to 6 ltems were selected to represent the general coverage of each chapter, 10 Items dupl~cated the 10 most lnterestlng topics from t h~ Ruch (1937) survey. Students were told that each Item was a t o p~c that mlght be Included In ,I generd psycholog\ cou...

No abstract

Rats received Pavlovian aversive (shock) conditioning in which white noise was established for different groups as a es+, eso, or es-. Then, in an appetitive T-maze discrimination, the ess were presented contingent upon adesignated correct response for which food reinforcement was factorially varied at 0, 1, 2, or 4 pellets. Although the es+ suppressed and the es-facilitated speed of running in the correct arm at the start of discrimination training, these effects extinguished rapidly and did not interact with reward magnitude. Furthermore, choice learning was faciltated by the es+ and retarded by the es-, with these effects being comparable for the 1-to 4-pellet reinforcement conditions, but ab sent for the O-pellet condition. These findings are difficult to reconcile with a transfer interpretation positing a general signaling property of the es and are better interpreted as across-reinforcement blocking effects: By predicting a preferred outcome (safetyl comparable to the preferred outcome of food reinforcement, the es-blocks (retardsl the association of reinforcement and the SD; conversely, by predicting a nonpreferred Ishock] outcome discrepant from the preferred food outcome, the CS+ "counterblocks" (enhancesl the association of reinforcement and the SD.

Living, Loving and Loss has the potential to become the definitive book on the interconnection among sexuality, intimacy, and loss, much as Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' On Death and Dying opened communication on the dying process. Ken Doka's disenfranchised grief, as a strategy or concept, as well as two books, made us aware of unrecognized grief and loss.With sensitivity and tact, the chapter authors and the editors confront a variety of difficult topics. Although the media is filled with sex, violence, and death, on a personal-interaction level sex and death are still, as the editors note, taboo topics. Within the broad categories of sexuality and grief, the editors have compiled chapters on topics that are uncomfortable for us to discuss even though they are topics "ripped from the headlines." For example, Harold Ivan Smith discusses sexuality and intimacy when penile erection dysfunction occurs. Linda Goldman notes the losses accompanying the rejection of lesbian, gay, or bisexual children and adolescents by parents and peers. M. Douglas Harvey looks at the issues raised by the psychological trauma experienced by returning veterans. The editors suggest that there are many areas of concern beyond those in their book. Among those, the physical traumas of wounded veterans and of others experiencing physical losses (e.g., amputations, mastectomies) raise many questions about loss, grief, and intimacy.DeFord and Gilbert state that their "primary aim is to encourage a conversation about the significance of intimacy and sexuality issues with an experience of loss and grief " (p. viii). They are successful in that goal but go much further