As with most kinds of inner experience, it is difficult to assess actual self-talk frequency beyond self-reports, given the often hidden and subjective nature of the phenomenon. The Self-Talk Scale (STS; Brinthaupt et al., 2009) is a self-report measure of self-talk frequency that has been shown to possess acceptable reliability and validity. However, no research using the STS has examined the accuracy of respondents’ self-reports. In the present paper, we report a series of studies directly examining the measurement of self-talk frequency and functions using the STS. The studies examine ways to validate self-reported self-talk by (1) comparing STS responses from 6 weeks earlier to recent experiences that might precipitate self-talk, (2) using experience sampling methods to determine whether STS scores are related to recent reports of self-talk over a period of a week, and (3) comparing self-reported STS scores to those provided by a significant other who rated the target on the STS. Results showed that (1) overall self-talk scores, particularly self-critical and self-reinforcing self-talk, were significantly related to reports of context-specific self-talk; (2) high STS scorers reported talking to themselves significantly more often during recent events compared to low STS scorers, and, contrary to expectations, (3) friends reported less agreement than strangers in their self-other self-talk ratings. Implications of the results for the validity of the STS and for measuring self-talk are presented.

Bears (Ursidae) were observed from fixed-wing aircraft on or near alpine talus in the Shoshone National Forest between 15 June and 15 September in 1981–1989. Bears fed on insect aggregations at 6 known and 12 suspected alpine talus sites, disproportionately more at elevations > 3350 m, on slopes > 30°, and on south- and west-facing aspects. While at these sites, bears almost exclusively ate invertebrates, typically army cutworm moths (Euxoa auxiliaris). Subadult grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) appeared to be underrepresented at the sites, and proportionate representation of adult females with young appeared to decrease between 15 June and 15 September. Overall, observations of bears at these sites increased between 1981 and 1989. We suggest that alpine insect aggregations are an important food source for bears in the Shoshone National Forest, especially in the absence of high-quality foraging alternatives in July and August of most years.

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The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and supporting regulations contain numerous requirements for the reclamation of wildlife habitat. However, these requirements are often contradicted by other requirements. Historically, regulatory agencies have tended to place more emphasis on those requirements that act to impede the reclamation of wildlife habitat then they have on those requirements that restore and/or enhance wildlife habitat. Wildlife habitat is a principal postmining land use over most of the coalmine lands in Wyoming. The Buckskin Mine has prepared a detailed reclamation plan to enhance wildlife habitat. This paper will present portions of that plan and examine the federal and state of Wyoming regulations that require reclamation of wildlife habitat and suggest permitting strategies to overcome many of these conflicting requirements.

Avian species often use anti‐predator calls such that the costs and benefits of vigilance are distributed within the group. Some species respond differentially to graded risk by attending to relevant predator cues, such as head orientation and gaze direction. One benefit of graded‐risk sensitivity is fewer missed foraging opportunities. It is not known how the makeup of risk response behaviors in mixed‐species flocks may relate to the relative nuclearity of each species in the flock. In the current study, predator models were presented to two nuclear and two satellite species of passerines that frequently occur in natural mixed flocks. Predator models either faced toward or away from a nearby stocked feeder to simulate high and low risk of predation, and calling and seed‐taking rates of the present flock were recorded. The nuclear species, great tits (Parus major) and crested tits (Lophophanes cristatus), took more seeds when the predator faced away from the feeder than toward it. The satellite species, Eurasian nuthatches (Sitta europaea) and willow tits (Poecile montanus), did not show an effect of predator orientation. No species showed consistent differences in calling behavior relative to predator orientation, although insufficient calling data for great tits prevented analysis for this species. The results of this study suggest that one aspect of nuclearity in mixed‐species flocks is a tendency for graded‐risk sensitivity, or alternatively, that satellite species are more sensitive to mere predator presence rather than to predator orientation cues.