A Procedure for the Assessment of Individual Differences in Relational Discrimination Behavior in the Pigeon (Columba livia)

Raven’s progressive matrices (RPM) is a nonverbal intelligence test that examines abstract reasoning by asking subjects to correctly complete a stimulus matrix where transformations between stimuli in the matrix follow one or more relational rules. While this test has been used since 1936, and has been modified to accommodate a variety of humans, this is the first adaptation for non-human animals. We trained pigeons on a task in which the complexity of the rules could increase progressively. Pigeons initially were trained on one rule, and if discrimination reached criterion performance, were tested on novel exemplars to assess relational control. After learning one rule, some pigeons were trained on a second rule, followed by transfer tests. We chose pigeons because of their previous success in abstract and relational rule learning. Pigeons varied in how many rules could be learned and in how well they could transfer learning to novel images, indicating that this test can measure individual differences in learning abstract properties such as stimulus relations. One pigeon successfully learned and transferred two relational rules, and was tested on a matrix combining both rules together. In the future, our modified RPM procedure could be used to investigate abstract reasoning across species.

Temporal Encoding: Relative and absolute representations of time guide behavior

Temporal information-processing is critical for adaptive behavior and goal-directed action. It is thus crucial to understand how the temporal distance between behaviorally relevant events is encoded to guide behavior. However, research on temporal representations has yielded mixed findings as to whether organisms utilize relative versus absolute judgments of time intervals. To address this fundamental question about the timing mechanism, we tested mice in a duration discrimination procedure in which they learned to correctly categorize tones of different durations as short or long. After being trained on a pair of target intervals the mice transferred to conditions in which cue durations and corresponding response locations were systematically manipulated. Specifically, responses and/or durations of cues were switched in different experimental phases so that either the relative or absolute mapping remained constant. The findings indicate that the transfer occurred most readily when relative relationships of durations and response locations were preserved. In contrast, when the animals had to re-map these relative relations, their temporal discrimination ability was impaired, and they required extensive training to re-establish temporal control. However, preserving the response location of one of the cue durations in such conditions was found to help with initial transfer. These results demonstrate that mice can represent experienced durations both as having a certain magnitude (absolute representation) and as being shorter or longer of the two durations (an ordinal relation to other cue durations), with relational control having a greater influence in temporal discriminations.

Relationally based psychodynamic psychotherapy in prison: processes of control, shame, and dissociation

The scant literature relative to the application of relationally based and psycho-dynamic therapies within correctional settings clearly illustrates the contextually driven challenges to employing such approaches (Haley, 2010; Huffman, 2006; Kita, 2011; Stein, 2007, 2009). Stein (2001, 2004, 2007, 2009) in particular has written extensively about the psychotherapeutic needs of the high concentration of severely developmentally traumatised and dissociative individuals in our prisons, who are unlikely to receive psychodynamic therapies due to resource constraints. Such acute treatment needs can be exacerbated by the operational design of correctional settings—which are predicated on the maintenance of safety and security through the exercise of behaviour management and controlled access to personnel and resources. The over-representation of relationally traumatised individuals within prison populations is confounded by the structural parallels of the controlled environment that inadvertently trigger these inmates. The counterproductive results are not necessarily unexpected given how trauma is routinely re-enacted (Chefetz, 2015; Kupers, 1996; Van der Kolk, 1989, 2014; Van der Kolk & McFarlane, 1996). Nonetheless, this reactive cycle represents an unfortunate re-enactment of relational control both intrapsychically and environmentally. Discussion of the dynamics of control inherent within correctional settings, followed by a case study of an inmate suffering from traumatic exposure to an austerely narcissistic and abusive father, is illustrative of this cycle. The isomorphism of coercive internal object relations and institutional control is striking and will be illustrated.

Towards a model of psychological well being. The role of socioeconomic status and satisfaction with income in Chile.

Association between indexes of socioeconomic status, satisfaction with income and status, and psychological well-being (PWB) was examined in a representative sample of Chileans. Results confirm a positive association between socioeconomic status and satisfaction with income and status and PWB. Associations were stronger with PWB facets related to relational, control and self-esteem processes, and weaker with purpose of life, growth and autonomy. Structural equation modeling confirmed a direct significant coefficient of socioeconomic status on PWB, as well as an indirect significant path through satisfaction with income and status. Control for satisfaction with socioeconomic status and purchase power reduced but did not eliminate the effect of socioeconomic status on PWB. Results are consistent with a direct effect model of socio-structural position on well-being, but also with the relevance of satisfaction with social position as an appraisal process to indicate high psychological well-being.

Fuzzy Relational Control of an Uncertain System

The paper considers the usefulness of a control strategy based on a fuzzy relational model of the controller to counteract uncertainties caused by measurement noise and unmeasured disturbances. The fuzzy relational model is identified using a combination of feedback error learning and fuzzy identification. An important feature of the resulting fuzzy relational model is that it will generate a fuzzy output in the presence of uncertainties. Two causes of uncertainty are considered separately, the first cause of uncertainty is due to the noise on the sensor measuring the controlled variable and the second one is an unmeasured input disturbance. Results are presented that show that the fuzzy control signal is representative of the uncertainties and that conditional defuzzification can then be used to improve the control performance by reducing the control activity.