Error Patterning and Hypothesis Behavior of Children and Pigeons in Discrimination Learning

Characteristic distributions of errors across fixed ratio schedules of reinforcement were studied for two types of discrimination paradigms. Two experiments studied error patterns as a function of hypothesis behavior in two species of animals, children and pigeons. Three key zero-delay matching-to-sample and two key simultaneous discrimination were reinforced for both species of animals on fixed ratio schedules of reinforcement. Experiment 1 involved children on matching-to-sample and simultaneous discrimination, and Experiment 2 involved pigeons on matching-to-sample and simultaneous discrimination. Both species of subjects experienced experimental conditions in which shift or stay response hypotheses were selectively reinforced using a high speed digital computer. Data protocols were scored into four exhaustive error classes; winstay, lose - shift; win-shift, lose-stay; win - stay, lose-stay; and win-shift, lose-shift errors. These four error types were scored by frequency of occurrence and response latency for the ordinal positions of the fixed ratio. Two types of error patterns were defined for individual subjects. A standard error pattern was defined as having 15% more first half ratio errors than last half ratio errors. A reversed error pattern was defined as having 15% more last half ratio errors than first half ratio errors. Experimental results indicated that selective reinforcement of particular response hypotheses produced only small effects for either species of animal on matching-to-sample or simultaneous discrimination. Response latencies for matching-to-sample and simultaneous discrimination were divided into two classes. The first class included long latency responses occurring immediately after reinforcement for children and pigeons. The second class included shorter latencies in the succeeding ordinal positions of the ratio for children and pigeons. A majority of standard error patterns were produced when the total errors were separated into specific error types for low accuracy subjects of both species. The standard error pattern was lost for total errors due to a very high frequency of win-shift, lose-shift errors which were not distributed in any characteristic pattern. Higher accuracy subjects of both species tended to show a majority of reversed error patterns or no patterning when total errors were separated into error types. These subjects had very low frequencies of win-shift, lose-shift errors. The high frequency of win-shift, lose-shift errors in both species of animals across discrimination paradigms could be due to the complexity of the discrimination, a developmental age base for human subjects, or a 0-second intertrial interval

Lake Monroe Diagnostic And Feasibility Study

This diagnostic and feasiblity has two primary purposes: (1) to diagnose problems with Lake Monroe and (2) identify technically feasible solutions to the problems identified. The protocol used to conduct this study is specified in guidance materials provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Prepared for: Monroe County Commissioners, Courthouse Room 302, Bloomington, IN 4740

Assessment of Ocean Wave Model used to Analyze the Constellation Program (CxP) Orion Project Crew Module Water Landing Conditions

Mr. Christopher Johnson, NASA's Systems Manager for the Orion Project Crew Module (CM) Landing and Recovery at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), and Mr. James Corliss, Project Engineer for the Orion CM Landing System Advanced Development Project at the Langley Research Center (LaRC) requested an independent assessment of the wave model that was developed to analyze the CM water landing conditions. A NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) initial evaluation was approved November 20, 2008. Mr. Bryan Smith, NESC Chief Engineer at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), was selected to lead this assessment. The Assessment Plan was presented and approved by the NESC Review Board (NRB) on December 18, 2008. The Assessment Report was presented to the NRB on March 12, 2009. This document is the final Assessment Report

Feminist Reflections on the Scope of Labour Law: Domestic Work, Social Reproduction and Jurisdiction

Drawing on feminist labour law and political economy literature, I argue that it is crucial to interrogate the personal and territorial scope of labour. After discussing the “commodification” of care, global care chains, and body work, I claim that the territorial scope of labour law must be expanded beyond that nation state to include transnational processes. I use the idea of social reproduction both to illustrate and to examine some of the recurring regulatory dilemmas that plague labour markets. I argue that unpaid care and domestic work performed in the household, typically by women, troubles the personal scope of labour law. I use the example of this specific type of personal service relation to illustrate my claim that the jurisdiction of labour law is historical and contingent, rather than conceptual and universal. I conclude by identifying some of the implications of redrawing the territorial and personal scope of labour law in light of feminist understandings of social reproduction

The Genome of Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae): Adaptation for Success

The lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), is a major global pest of cereal grains. Infestations are difficult to control as larvae feed inside grain kernels, and many populations are resistant to both contact insecticides and fumigants. We sequenced the genome of R. dominica to identify genes responsible for important biological functions and develop more targeted and efficacious management strategies. The genome was assembled from long read sequencing and long-range scaffolding technologies. The genome assembly is 479.1 Mb, close to the predicted genome size of 480.4 Mb by flow cytometry. This assembly is among the most contiguous beetle assemblies published to date, with 139 scaffolds, an N50 of 53.6 Mb, and L50 of 4, indicating chromosome-scale scaffolds. Predicted genes from biologically relevant groups were manually annotated using transcriptome data from adults and different larval tissues to guide annotation. The expansion of carbohydrase and serine peptidase genes suggest that they combine to enable efficient digestion of cereal proteins. A reduction in the copy number of several detoxification gene families relative to other coleopterans may reflect the low selective pressure on these genes in an insect that spends most of its life feeding internally. Chemoreceptor genes contain elevated numbers of pseudogenes for odorant receptors that also may be related to the recent ontogenetic shift of R. dominica to a diet consisting primarily of stored grains. Analysis of repetitive sequences will further define the evolution of bostrichid beetles compared to other species. The data overall contribute significantly to coleopteran genetic research

Homework: A Natural Means of Home-School Collaboration

The purpose of this article is to place homework in the framework of an emerging interest in the development of effective home-school partnerships. Specifically, review of the homework literature is provided with attention to parent-, teacher-, and child-mediated programs. Several homework programs that have received empirical support are described. Finally, the role of the school psychologist in supporting and coordinating complementary home-school homework programs is explored

The Effects of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation and a Structured Homework Program on Math Completion and Accuracy in Junior High Students

The effects of conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) and a structured homework program on math homework completion and accuracy in junior high school students (grades seven through nine) who were at risk for academic failure were investigated. A multiple baseline design across five participants was utilized. Follow-up data were collected approximately one month after CBC was completed, to assess maintenance over time. Four of the five students improved their completion rates during treatment. Accuracy rates increased during treatment, but to a lesser degree. At follow-up, three of the five students maintained or improved gains they made during treatment. One student who had not improved during treatment showed improvement at follow-up. Another student was unable to maintain the gains made during treatment. Strengths and limitations of the study are discussed. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are also presented