Attention and Effort

Motivation reconsidered: The concept of competence.

In connection with a study of various aspects of the modifiability of behavior in the dancing mouse a need for definite knowledge concerning the relation of strength of stimulus to rate of learning arose. It was for the purpose of obtaining this knowledge that we planned and executed the experiments which are now to be described. Our work was greatly facilitated by the advice and assistance of Doctor E. G. MARTIN, Professor G. W. PIERCE, and Professor A. E. KENNELLY, and we desire to express here both our indebtedness and our thanks for their generous services.

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The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit-formation

Attachment--and loss.

In this article we propose mechanisms that govern the processing of emotional information, particularly those involved in fear reduction. Emotions are viewed as represented by information structures in memory, and anxiety is thought to occur when an information structure that serves as program to escape or avoid danger is activated. Emotional processing is denned as the modification of memory structures that underlie emotions. It is argued that some form of exposure to feared situations is common to many psychotherapies for anxiety, and that confrontation with feared objects or situations is an effective treatment. Physiological activation and habituation within and across exposure sessions are cited as indicators of emotional processing, and variables that influence activation and habituation of fear responses are examined. These variables and the indicators are analyzed to yield an account of what information must be integrated for emotional processing of a fear structure. The elements of such a structure are viewed as cognitive representations of the stimulus characteristic of the fear situation, the individual's responses in it, and aspects of its meaning for the individual. Treatment failures are interpreted with respect to the interference of cognitive defenses, autonomic arousal, mood state, and erroneous ideation with reformation of targeted fear structures. Applications of the concepts advanced here to therapeutic practice and to the broader study of psychopathology are discussed.

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Emotional processing of fear : exposure to corrective information

The class experiment in psychology with advertisements as materials.

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The Minds and Manners of Wild Animals

A point scale for measuring mental ability : 1923 Revision

The group of cases constituted by those individuals who fall under arrest is far more heterogeneous than the inexperienced person usually supposes. It includes, among others (1) persons of widely varying age, who, although physically and mentally normal, are victims of untoward circumstances; (2) individuals who are mentally deranged, temporarily or permanently, and who must be classified as psychopathic or definitely insane; (3) mental unfortunates, representing various sorts of defect-imbeciles, morons, the mentally ill-balanced; (4) victims of drugs, among whom those who have fallen prey to alcohol, morphine, hashish, are conspicuous; (5) wrecks, who, although mentally sound, are physically unable to shift for themselves and accidentally fall into the hands of officers of the law.

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Robert M. Yerkes

Papers

The class experiment in psychology with advertisements as materials.

The Minds and Manners of Wild Animals

A point scale for measuring mental ability : 1923 Revision

Mental Examination of Police and Court Cases

A graphic method of recording maze-reactions.