Nocebo hyperalgesia can be induced by classical conditioning without involvement of expectancy

Influential theoretical accounts take the position that classical conditioning can induce placebo effects through conscious expectancies. In the current study two different conditioning procedures (hidden and open) were used to separate expectancy from conditioning in order to reveal the role of expectancy in the formation of nocebo hyperalgesia. Eighty-seven healthy females were randomly assigned to three groups (hidden conditioning, open conditioning, and control). Participants were selected according to the Fear of Pain Questionnaire scores and assigned to two subgroups: high and low level of fear of pain (trait). They received electrocutaneous pain stimuli preceded by either an orange or blue color. During the conditioning phase, one color was paired with pain stimuli of moderate intensity (control stimuli) and the other color was paired with pain stimuli of high intensity (nocebo stimuli) in both hidden and open conditioning groups. Only participants in the open conditioning group were informed about this association, however just before the testing phase the expectancy of hyperalgesia induced in this way was withdrawn. In the control group, both colors were followed by control pain stimuli. During the testing phase all participants received a series of stimuli of the same intensity, regardless of the preceding color. Participants rated pain intensity, expectancy of pain intensity and fear (state). We found that nocebo hyperalgesia was induced by hidden rather than open conditioning. The hidden conditioning procedure did not produce conscious expectancies related to pain. Nocebo hyperalgesia was induced in participants with low and high fear of pain and there was no difference in the magnitude of the nocebo effect between both groups. Nocebo hyperalgesia was not predicted by the fear of upcoming painful stimuli

Acquisition of emotional responses : reconstruction and revision of the Little Albert

In 1920 John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner published the results of the study experiment describing how they had conditioned an 11-month-old boy (known as Little Albert) to fear a rat. The experiment is one of the best known and the most frequently cited empirical studies in the history of psychology. Many studies and theories suggesting the role of learning processes in the development of emotional responses were initiated by the Little Albert experiment. The article summarizes the procedures and results of the experiment reported by J.B. Watson and R. Rayner. The importance and impact of the results of the experiment on the development of psychological theories and research is discussed. Errors in the discussions of the Little Albert experiment in Polish psychological literature are identifi ed. The results of the latest historical research on the Little Albert experiment are summarized and their consequences are discussed

Nabywanie reakcji emocjonalnych: rekonstrukcja i rewizja eksperymentu z udziałem Małego Alberta

In 1920 John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner published the results of the study experiment describing how they had conditioned an 11-month-old boy (known as Little Albert) to fear a rat. The experiment is one of the best known and the most frequently cited empirical studies in  the history of psychology. Many studies and theories suggesting the role of learning processes in the development of emotional responses were initiated by the Little Albert experiment.  The article summarizes the procedures and results of the experiment reported by J.B. Watson and R. Rayner. The importance and impact of the results of the experiment on the development of psychological theories and research is discussed. Errors in the discussions of the Little Albert experiment in Polish psychological literature are identifi ed. The results of the latest historical research on the Little Albert experiment are summarized and their consequences are discussed

Development and cross-national investigation of a model explaining participation in WHO-recommended and placebo behaviours to prevent COVID-19 infection

To protect themselves from COVID-19, people follow the recommendations of the authorities, but they also resort to placebos. To stop the virus, it is important to understand the factors underlying both types of preventive behaviour. This study examined whether our model (developed based on the Health Belief Model and the Transactional Model of Stress) can explain participation in WHO-recommended and placebo actions during the pandemic. Model was tested on a sample of 3346 participants from Italy, Japan, Poland, Korea, Sweden, and the US. It was broadly supported: objective risk and cues to action showed both direct and indirect (through perceived threat) associations with preventive behaviours. Moreover, locus of control, decision balance, health anxiety and preventive coping moderated these relationships. Numerous differences were also found between countries. We conclude that beliefs about control over health and perceived benefits of actions are critical to the development of interventions to improve adherence to recommendations

Methods of decreasing of bucket wheel excavators failures working in soils including unmineable intrusions

W artykule zaprezentowano obecnie prowadzone w „Poltegor-Instytut” Instytut Górnictwa Odkrywkowego prace, których celem jest ograniczenie liczby awarii koparek eksploatowanych w gruntach zawierających wtrącenia nieurabialne. Zostanie to osiągnięte poprzez optymalne dostosowanie wielonaczyniowych koparek już eksploatowanych i nowo budowanych do urabiania nadkładu z przerostami o nadmiernych oporach urabiania oraz wtrąceniami nieurabialnymi, monitorowanie wytężenia ustroju nośnego wielonaczyniowej koparki kołowej i opracowanie metody analizowania sygnałów diagnostycznych dla bieżącej oceny zagrożenia uszkodzeniem ustroju nośnego oraz ciągłej kontroli wytrzymałości zmęczeniowej ustroju.The article presents the work carried out in the Poltegor Institute, which aims to reduce the number of failures of bucket wheel excavators operating in soils including nonmineable intrusions. This will be achieved by adaptation of bucket wheel excavators already in service and newly built to for exploitation in such conditions, monitoring of the load bearing capacity of a bucket wheel excavator, developing a diagnostic signal analysis method for current superstructure damage hazard assessment and continuous endurance monitoring

Comparison of energy usefulness of the selected biomass briquettes

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań dotyczące kaloryczności, zawartości wody, popiołu oraz węgla, azotu i wodoru w czterech rodzajach brykietu. Materiał badawczy stanowiły brykiety ze słomy zbożowej z dodatkami, takimi jak: trociny olchy, siano łąkowe oraz ziarno owsa. Uzyskane wyniki posłużyły do celów porównawczych podstawowych parametrów fizyko-chemicznych brykietów. Określono, że brykiety uzyskane z połączenia słomy i trocin olchy wykazują najwyższą wartość opałową. Dodatkowo odnotowano zwiększoną zawartość pozostałego po spaleniu popiołu w próbkach, które miały wyższą zawartością węgla, co może wskazywać na straty związane z niecałkowitym spalaniem.This paper presents the results of the caloric value, content of water, ash and carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen in the four types of briquettes. Material consisted of wheat straw briquettes with additives such as alder sawdust, meadow hay and oats. The results were used for comparison purposes of the basic physicochemical parameters of briquettes. It was determined that the briquettes obtained from a combination of straw and alders sawdust have the highest caloric value. In addition, the increased level of ash remaining after burning in the samples, which had higher carbon content, was reported which may indicate losses related to incomplete burning