Deborah J. Kennett

Demonstrator influence on observer diet preference: Effects of simple exposure and the presence of a demonstrator

Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that a naive rat (an observer), after interacting briefly with a previously fed conspecific (a demonstrator), will exhibit an enhanced preference for the diet its demonstrator had been fed. The present studies were undertaken to determine whether demonstrator-induced alterations in observer diet preference were the result of simple exposure of observers to diet-identifying cues emitted by demonstrators during the period of demonstrator-observer interaction. Our results indicated that observer experience of diet-related cues in the stimulus context provided by the presence of a demonstrator was sufficient to enhance observer preference for a diet, whereas simple exposure to that diet was not. We concluded that demonstrator influence on observer diet preferences was not the consequence of simple exposure of observers to demonstrator-emitted cues reflecting demonstrators’ diet.

A failure to find socially mediated taste aversion learning in Norway rats (R. norvegicus)

Observer rats interacted with conspecific demonstrators immediately after demonstrators ate a novel diet and were made ill by LiCl injection. Following their interaction with demonstrators, observers were tested for aversion to their ill demonstrators diet. Previous research has shown that (a) an observer can extract information from a demonstrator sufficient to permit identification of the demonstrators diet (Galef & Wigmore, 1983) and (b) a rat ill from LiCl toxicosis is an adequate unconditioned stimulus in a taste aversion learning paradigm (Lavin, Freise, & Coombes, 1980). Further, two of the present experiments demonstrated that cues emitted by a rat, reflecting the particular diet it has eaten, are an adequate conditional stimulus in a toxicosis-induced aversion learning situation. Observer avoidance of a diet previously ingested by an ill demonstrator was, however, not demonstrated. The implications of the failure to find socially mediated aversion learning are discussed.

Transfer of information concerning distant foods in rats: A robust phenomenon

Following interaction with a “demonstrator” rat, an “observer” rat prefers that diet eaten by its demonstrator prior to their interaction (Galef & Wigmore, 1983). The present series of studies demonstrates that such demonstrator influence on observer diet preference can be found in: (1) first-generation laboratory bred wild rats as well as domesticated rats, (2) food-deprived as well as nondeprived observers, (3) unfamiliar as well as familiar demonstrator-observer pairs, (4) both 21-day-old and adult observers, and (5) rats selecting fluids as well as solids for ingestion. These data indicate that the social transmission of information concerning distant diets is a general and robust phenomenon, observable under a wide variety of experimental conditions.

Academic self-management counselling: Preliminary evidence for the importance of learned resourcefulness on program success

ABSTRACT The present study was designed to examine the importance of learned resourcefulness skills as measured by Rosenbaums Self-Control Schedule (SCS) to perseverance in an academic self-management program. As predicted, students who dropped out of the self-management program scored low on Rosenbaums SCS; that is, they had a limited repertoire of general learned resourcefulness skills. However, both the high and the low resourceful students completing the self-management program implemented the self-management strategies they were taught, and expected and obtained comparable final grades. The possible long-term gains of high resourceful versus low resourceful students received from the program are discussed.

The relative effects of university success courses and individualized interventions for students with learning disabilities

Little is known about the relative effects of post‐secondary learning services for students with learning disabilities. We compared outcomes for students with learning disabilities who selected to: (1) take an academic learning success course (course‐intervention), (2) have regular individual interventions (high‐intervention) or (3) use services only as needed (low‐intervention). Pre‐ and post‐test comparisons revealed improvements in academic self‐efficacy and academic resourcefulness for students in the course‐ and high‐intervention groups. The course‐intervention group also showed decreases in their failure attributions to bad luck and increases in their general repertoire of learned resourcefulness skills in comparison to the high‐intervention group and had significantly higher year‐end GPAs in comparison to the low‐intervention group. Here we find positive outcomes for students with learning disabilities taking a course that teaches post‐secondary learning and academic skills.

Factors influencing academic success and retention following a 1st-year post-secondary success course

We examined the psycho-social factors predicting performance and retention following a post-secondary success course that was developed after Rosenbaums (1990, 2000) model of self-control and the academic success literature. Before and after the course, students completed measures assessing general and academic resourcefulness, academic self-efficacy, explanatory style for failure, anxiety, impulsivity, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity. Students who were most disadvantaged at the onset of the course were more likely to show the most gains in many of these measures. Students showing the greatest improvements in academic self-control and the greatest declines in hyperactivity-impulsivity following the course were more likely to attain the highest 2nd-term grades. Students deciding not to return to university for their 2nd year had impoverished general or academic resourcefulness skills or both. Suggestions are provided to help educators reach these students.

The influence of body mass index and learned resourcefulness skills on body image and lifestyle practises

We examined the importance of body mass index (BMI-light, medium, heavy) and learned resourcefulness skills (low, medium, high) on body image perceptions and lifestyle practises in 184 undergraduate women who were of relatively normal weight. Significant main effects were observed for the BMI and the learned resourcefulness variables. Supporting previous literature, the heavier and medium weight groups of women were more dissatisfied with their weight and appearance in comparison to the lighter weight group, but all groups shared similar eating attitudes and lifestyle practises. Also as predicted, women with low resourcefulness skills had more eating disturbances, perceived less control over their lifestyle, were more preoccupied with their weight in comparison to the high and, to a lesser extent, the medium groups. Contrary to prediction, heavier weight women with low resourcefulness skills were neither the most dissatisfied with their body shape nor the most susceptible to acquiring unhealthy lifestyle practises and disturbed eating attitudes. Implications for lifestyle counselors are discussed.

Co-operative learning in a university setting: Evidence for the importance of learned resourcefulness

ABSTRACT We examined the effects of individual learning (group A), co-operative learning (group B), co-operative learning with instruction (group C), and non-attendance (group D) on achievement in an introductory psychology course for 72 university students. The effect of learned resourcefulness on workshop attendance also was examined, as previous research has shown that people possessing low resourcefulness scores are more likely to drop out of programmes promoting academic achievement. Participants completed Rosenbaums Self-Control Schedule (SCS) measuring learned resourcefulness skills prior to group assignment and the Co-operative Learning Questionnaire (CLQ) assessing the use of group processing skills at the 3-week follow up. At different times, groups A, B, and C attended a workshop on academic self-management skills. These groups were asked to use the self-management skills described to help them prepare for the forthcoming test in psychology. Groups B and C members selected a partner to study w...

Learned Resourcefulness and the Long-Term Benefits of a Chronic Pain Management Program.

A concurrent mixed methods approach was used to understand how learned resourcefulness empowers individuals. After completing Rosenbaums Self-Control Schedule (SCS) measuring resourcefulness, 16 past clients of a multimodal pain clinic were interviewed about the kinds of pain-coping strategies they were practicing from the program. Constant comparative analysis of the text-based data revealed striking differences in the type of pain management strategies used by high- and low-resourceful participants. A substantive theory is advanced, whereby introspection and emotion allow for acceptance, which in turn permits the constructive use of social supports and enactment of active, and sometimes creative, pain-coping strategies to engage in meaningful activities.

Delays after eating: Effects on transmission of diet preferences and aversions

Previous studies have demonstrated that a naive rat (an observer), after interacting with a previously fed conspecific (a demonstrator), will exhibit an enhanced preference for the diet its demonstrator ate. Furthermore, observers poisoned after interacting with demonstrators exhibit an aversion to their respective demonstrators’ diets. In the present paper, we examined the effects, on transmission of information from demonstrator to observer, of introducing delays between the end of demonstrator feeding and initiation of demonstrator-observer interaction. We found that (1) for at least 4 h after ingestion, demonstrator rats emitted diet-related cues sufficient to alter observers’ subsequent diet preferences, and (2) diet-related cues emitted by demonstrators for 1 to 2 h after a meal were adequate conditional stimuli for aversion learning by their observers.