Infant behavior and development in relation to fetal movement and habituation.

Fetal movement and habituation were examined in relation to behavior and development in early infancy. 39 fetuses were evaluated between 28 and 37 weeks gestation. A vibrating stimulus was repeatedly applied to the maternal abdomen until the fetus habituated (i.e., ceased moving in response). Fetal movements were observed on an ultrasound monitor by 2 observers who recorded their observations onto a strip chart. Using a median split, fetuses were placed into high- or low-movement groups and fast- or slow-habituating groups. The groups were compared after birth on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Preliminary evidence is presented that fetal rate of habituation predicts some aspects of infant behavior and development.

Fetal response decrement: true habituation?

Preliminary evidence suggests that fetal movement in response to vibrotactile stimulation "habituates" with repeated exposure. If demonstrated in fetuses, the habituation paradigm may be useful as a measure of fetal well-being or as a predictor of neonatal outcome. However, the ability of the fetal response decrement phenomenon to meet criteria for habituation which would distinguish it from simple receptor fatigue has not been evaluated. In this study, fetuses were exposed to two different frequencies of vibration applied to the maternal abdomen. Fetal movement was observed on an ultrasound monitor. An inverse relationship between the strength of the stimulus and rapidity of the response decrement was not observed. However, return of the response to presentation of a novel stimulus, response decrement to repetition of the second stimulus, and more rapid response decrement upon re-presentation of the original stimulus suggest that the fetal response decrement phenomenon is true habituation.

The effect of diagonality on reconstruction of patterns by preschool children.

The study examined the contribution of various aspects of pattern complexity to children's difficulty on reconstruction of patterns. Specifically, diagonal pattern components and spatial orientation of patterns were considered. Twenty-four children between 16 months and 31 months were presented eight 5-square patterns on a 3 X 3 matrix of squares. The squares lighted, went dark, and then could be relighted by the child if touched. Accuracy of reconstruction was determined by the number of squares correctly chosen by the child during reconstruction. The eight patterns were rated according to Leeuwenberg's code length method, Garner's rotation-and-reflection method, Halford and Macdonald's rating scale, and a simple count of the number of diagonal lines. Analysis of children's responding indicated that number of diagonal lines was more predictive of memory performance than the other three rating systems, implying that diagonality is an important feature of pattern complexity that should be included in ratings of patterns used in research with children.

Assessing variability in circumplex models of personality.

This paper describes a new methodology for assessing variability in circumplex models of personality. Leary's (1957) method for assessing such variability within his system of interpersonal diagnosis is discussed and critiqued. The authors then propose a new methodology, which is (a) consistent with assumptions underlying circumplex orderings of variables, and (b) generalizable to other circumplex models of personality and/or interpersonal communications.

Cognitive structure and behavioral regulation in alcoholics.

Compared with nonalcoholics, alcoholics were less able to focus on relevant cues (i.e., they had weaker cognitive control) and less able to recall pertinent ideas or events and possible consequences (i.e., their internal scanning was narrower).

Analysis of structural factors in schizophrenic delusions.

A previous factor analysis of delusional properties, scored from verbatim typescripts of interviews held with 32 schizophrenic patients, had generated four interpretable factors. The present study considered the meaning of these qualitative factors in terms of their relationships to four types of information potentially important to understanding the development or maintenance of delusions--sex gender, intelligence, chronicity, and type of delusion (e.g., persecution, grandeur). The possible contribution of factorial structure to understanding delusional behavior was indicated by the number of relationships found between these factors and the independent variables.