Frank W. Finger

Measuring Behavioral Activity

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the belief that electro, neuro, and physiological sophistication may be wasted unless the subtleties on the measurement end of the enterprise are to a degree recognized. The measures of general behavioral activity can be so distorted by irrelevant variables that they are sometimes of questionable value. A few simple precautions need to be taken by the experimenter to sufficiently reduce the variability to have a powerful tool for the assessment of the neurophysiological state. There is still the effect upon ones results of the type of measuring device and the uncertainty of how this may best be dealt with. For testing the effect of brain interference, the running wheel seems a logical choice in view of its mechanical simplicity and the demonstrated sensitivity of running to physiological and environmental manipulations. The chapter discusses the recording techniques that are similar in that the animal lives in an enclosure much like a standard home cage. Various shapes and sizes are used with the average dimension perhaps two or three times the body length. More than is the case with the wheel, these methods have been readily adapted to species other than the rat.

Changes in Sex Practices and Beliefs of Male College Students: over 30 Years*

Abstract Replication of an earlier survey, using the same questionnaire in the same college course, reveals an increase in proportion of male students with premarital heterosexual experience, from 45 per cent in 1943–44 to 61.8 per cent in 1967–68 and 74.9 per cent in 1969–73. While the mean number of episodes is also greatly increased, the tendency is toward reducing the number of partners. Since the proportion condoning premarital intercourse has risen to over 90 per cent, still further increments in activity may be anticipated. The number reporting homosexual behavior (most often limited to the pre‐ and early‐adolescent years) has declined from 27 per cent to 13.7 per cent, but the amount of activity during the college years has increased. Students having experienced a particular sexual activity impute that activity to a higher proportion of the general population than do the inexperienced.

RELATION OF GENERAL ACTIVITY IN RATS TO ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE

The relation between ambient temperature and amount and pattern of wheel running was examined in four experiments, with a total of 88 adult male albino rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain, under conditions of 12-hr. light/12-hr. dark. While lowering of temperature from baseline of 21—25°C to 4—7°C most typically led to increased running, consistently reduced running characterized a substantial number of individuals, especially those with relatively high baseline scores. When comparison trials were run at 27°C, reduced activity was recorded for virtually all subjects. As temperature was elevated above 27°C, however, there was in most cases an upturn. At 34°C, 24-hr. running scores tended to exceed baseline level for about half the animals, and running during the light 12 hr. of the day was above baseline for virtually all. Analysis of the temporal distribution suggests that the thermoregulatory reduction of activity, readily demonstrated at the moderately warm temperature, is complicated by efforts to escape as the environment becomes aversively hot. Failure of previous investigators to observe this is attributable in part to apparatus and recording differences. It is speculated that the pattern of response to extreme temperatures is closely related to the circadian fluctuation of internal temperature.

Direct observation of the rat's activity during food deprivation

Abstract The significance of changes in general activity under deprivation has been obscured by the fact that different recording devices yield discrepant results. By adopting a time-sampling procedure, it was feasible to make direct visual observation of 24 male white rats (ages 46–54 or 128–138 days) over several days. During ad libitum ingestion the animals were most frequently classified as “resting”—80% of the time in the light and 40% in relative dark (far-red illumination). During continuous food deprivation resting was much less frequently noted, and there was a marked increase in head movement and locomotion about the cage. These trends were slightly the more distinct in the younger group. The results appear to be consonant with an arousal conception of drive.

Effect of Food Deprivation on Running-Wheel Activity in Naive Rats

The activity of 90 recently-weaned rats was recorded during their initial experience in the wheel, immediately following 0-, 24-, or 48-hr. food deprivation. Both deprived groups were significantly more active than the non-deprived group, but there was no clear difference between the effect of 24- and of 48-hr. deprivation. The results are compatible with the position that food deprivation exerts a directly energizing influence upon behavior.

John N. Buck (1906–1983): Did he practically establish clinical psychology in virginia?

A posthumous biographical profile is presented of John N. Buck, an early clinical psychologist who gained national recognition for his diverse contributions to the field. In addition to developing the House-Tree-Person (H-T-P) Projective Technique and an array of other psychological inventories, he was instrumental in establishing clinical psychology in Virginia. Buck served on the first Examining Board for Certification of Clinical Psychologists in Virginia (and the nation) and was later its chairman. He published his research in peer-reviewed journals and presented guest lectures at respected universities. These professional achievements were quite remarkable in light of the fact that Buck was paraplegic and had no college degree and only scattered formal training in psychology.