Psychological Review

Vanderwolf, C. H.

doi: 10.1037/h0030672pmid: 5547375

Data from a series of brain-behavior experiments utilizing techniques of ablation, ICS, and electrical recording emphasize the importance of the concept of levels of function in understanding behavior. Initiation, performance, and cessation of voluntary behaviors (e.g., walking, manipulating objects) are associated with activation of ascending pathways from the diencephalon to the hippocampus and neocortex. More automatic behaviors (e.g., chewing, emotional expression) are not directly dependent on these pathways, even when they occur as CRs. Electrical recordings indicate that hippocampal activity, in particular, is closely related to behavior. Wave morphology, amplitude, and frequency, are all related to different aspects of concurrent motor activity. Problems of the definition and mechanism of "voluntary" and "automatic" control of movement are discussed. (7 p. ref.)

Coltheart, Max

doi: 10.1037/h0030639pmid: 5547374

Explains the aftereffect produced by viewing a line tilted in the frontal plane in terms of the adaptation of orientation-specific units in the visual system. This explanation is more successful than explanations based on "normalization" or "satiation." Aftereffects of curvature or median-plane tilt can be explained in analogous ways, although the visual system units necessary are in this case mainly hypothetical, since experiments capable of demonstrating the existence of these types of units have not yet been performed. (43 ref.)

Halwes, Terry; Jenkins, James J.

doi: 10.1037/h0030713pmid: N/A

Associative-chain theories have trouble accounting for the basic fact that the elements of behavior are ordered serially. W. A. Wickelgren attempted to avoid these difficulties by postulating a "context-sensitive associative theory," "which assumes that serial order is encoded by means of associations between context-sensitive elementary motor responses." This reply argues that (a) such theories are not adequate to account for serial ordering and the other facts of speech production, (b) that arguments advanced in their support are incorrect, and (c) the nonassociative alternative considered and rejected by Wickelgren is in no way related to seriously held nonassociative theories.

Levine, Marvin

doi: 10.1037/h0030647pmid: N/A

Hypothesis theory generates a few theorems about adult humans failing to reach criterion in discrimination-learning tasks: (a) their performance should match behavior on tasks which are intrinsically insoluble but otherwise comparable to the normal tasks; and (b) for certain stimulus sequences, performance on both the unsolved and insoluble problems should be below the chance level. Data confirm both of these predictions. The theory also stipulates the conditions for producing nonlearning by motivated Ss. According to the theory, as long as S is sampling from a set of incorrect hypotheses (i.e., a set lacking the solution) he will show no learning. No response strengthening will occur in this circumstance even if the solution consists in the simplest contingencies (e.g., E says "right" when S says "A," and "wrong" when S says "B"). A series of experiments validated the prediction. The relation of these results to random-feedback effects, the awareness controversy, and the Einstellung phenomenon is discussed. (34 ref.)

Wellens, A. Rodney; Thistlethwaite, Donald L.

doi: 10.1037/h0030666pmid: N/A

Reviews previous attempts to formulate balance theories capable of accommodating interelement relations of varying magnitudes. 2 new algebraic formulations of the quantitative balance theories of N. T. Feather and W. M. Wiest are proposed. It is shown that the discrepancy principle used in the former theory contains an algebraic formulation which is equivalent to one that may be given for the upper boundaries of balance implied in the latter theory. Empirical results probing these theories provided some support for the algebraic formulation common to both theories, but disconfirmed the polarization principle which has been used as an adjunct to Wiest's geometric model. (17 ref.)

Krantz, David H.; Tversky, Amos

doi: 10.1037/h0030637pmid: N/A

Defines composition rules as theories that describe the relationships among several measurable variables. Conjoint measurement provides methods for analyzing such rules using ordinal information only. This analysis is applied to a class of 4 composition rules in 3 variables A + P + U, (A + P)U, AP + U, APU which have been widely employed in different areas of psychology. It leads to the formulation of observable ordinal properties that can be used to test and diagnose which of the rules, if any, is appropriate for a given set of data. (45 ref.)

Doyle, Charlotte

doi: 10.1037/h0020285pmid: N/A

Comments on the article by Martin E. Seligman on the generality of laws of learning. The current author compliments Seligman's work but also adds that more can be done. Seligman ties preparedness to evolutionary history--inherited biological structure. Associability must depend on structure, but personal as well as evolutionary history is involved. Encounters between the organism and his environment determine the direction of development of inherited structures. This approach provides an alternative between extremes: tremendously specific inherited preparednesses for all possible associations and the oversimplified one-kind-of-learning view which Seligman justly criticizes.