Using 3D Spectroscopy to Probe the Orbital Structure of Composite Bulges

Detailed imaging and spectroscopic analysis of the centers of nearby S0 and spiral galaxies shows the existence of "composite bulges", where both classical bulges and disky pseudobulges coexist in the same galaxy. As part of a search for supermassive black holes in nearby galaxy nuclei, we obtained VLT-SINFONI observations in adaptive-optics mode of several of these galaxies. Schwarzschild dynamical modeling enables us to disentangle the stellar orbital structure of the different central components, and to distinguish the differing contributions of kinematically hot (classical bulge) and kinematically cool (pseudobulge) components in the same galaxy.Comment: LaTeX, 2 pages, 1 PDF figure. To appear in "Proceedings of IAU Symposium 309: Galaxies in 3D across the Universe", eds. B. L. Ziegler, F. Combes, H. Dannerbauer, and M. Verdug

Examining the generalizability of research findings from archival data

This initiative examined systematically the extent to which a large set of archival research findings generalizes across contexts. We repeated the key analyses for 29 original strategic management effects in the same context (direct reproduction) as well as in 52 novel time periods and geographies; 45% of the reproductions returned results matching the original reports together with 55% of tests in different spans of years and 40% of tests in novel geographies. Some original findings were associated with multiple new tests. Reproducibility was the best predictor of generalizability—for the findings that proved directly reproducible, 84% emerged in other available time periods and 57% emerged in other geographies. Overall, only limited empirical evidence emerged for context sensitivity. In a forecasting survey, independent scientists were able to anticipate which effects would find support in tests in new samples

The Phylogenetic Roots of Cognitive Dissonance

We presented 7 Old World monkeys (Japanese macaques [Macaca fuscata] gray cheeked mangabey [Lophocebus albigena] rhesus macaques [Macaca mulatta] bonnet macaque [Macaca radiate] and olive baboon [Papio anubis]) 3 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) 6 members of the parrot (Psittacinae) family and 4 American black bears (Ursus americanus) with a cognitive dissonance paradigm modeled after Egan Santos and Bloom (2007) In experimental trials subjects were given choices between 2 equally preferred food items and then presented with the unchosen option and a novel equally preferred food Item In control trials subjects were presented with I accessible and 1 inaccessible option from another triad of equally preferred food Items They were then presented with the previously inaccessible item and a novel member of that triad Subjects as a whole did not prefer the novel item in experimental or control trials However there was a tendency toward a subject by condition interaction When analyzed by primate versus nonprimate categories only primates preferred the novel item in experimental but not control trials indicating that they resolved cognitive dissonance by devaluing the unchosen option only when an option was derogated by their own free choice This finding suggests that this phenomenon might e 1st within but not outside of the primate orde

Functional communication training and noncontingent reinforcement in treatment of stereotypy

A 6‐year‐old boy with autism spectrum disorder engaged in automatically maintained stereotypy in the form of opening and closing doors. A functional analysis confirmed that he also emitted problem behavior that was maintained by access to stereotypy. We evaluated the separate and combined effects of functional communication training and arbitrary noncontingent reinforcement on both response classes. Results showed that the combination of functional communication training and noncontingent reinforcement was more effective at reducing stereotypy than either intervention on its own, although effects on problem behavior were unclear. These results suggest that combinations of interventions may be useful in the treatment of automatically maintained problem behavior