Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Behaviorism”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

A developmental-genetic analysis of aggressive behavior in mice: I. Behavioral outcomes.

In order to investigate the proposal that modifications in developmental rate may mediate differences in aggressive behavior, two series of selective breeding studies were completed. Stable lines of mice that differed in the frequency and latency of attacks were rapidly established in two series (by S1 in the first series and S3 or S4 in the second series). For evaluation of the developmental-genetic proposal, an analysis was made of the ontogeny of aggressive expression in male mice of the two series, with a detailed report provided of the S1 and S4 generations of the second breeding series. Comparisons between the results of a longitudinal design and the results of a new type of cross-sectional design (involving only siblings, or co-sibial) indicated (a) a reliable developmental course of attack expression, with a sharp rise in early maturity and a slow decline thereafter; (b) a convergence in later maturity of the behavior of lines selectively bred for high or low aggressive behavior, if the animals had been assigned to the longitudinal design; (c) a strong effect of repeated testing on attack latency and frequency, even though the dyadic tests were brief in duration and separated by long intervals. In addition, cross-generational comparisons suggested that the selective breeding differences came about primarily by changes in the behavior of the low aggressive lines, in that these animals failed to show in early maturity the sharp increases in attack occurrence that were observed in earlier generations. Certain implications of these findings for developmental and evolutionary concepts (e.g., neoteny, acceleration, heterochrony) are discussed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1993

Coronary-prone behavior. Type A behavior revisited.

On the basis of prospective population studies that found a relationship between Type A behavior and cardiac morbidity and mortality independent of traditional risk factors, Type A behavior was declared a risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease. However, subsequent studies of individuals with multiple risk factors or established cardiovascular disease failed to support this association consistently. Attempts to identify toxic subcomponents of Type A behavior have supported an association between hostility and cardiac morbidity and mortality. There is evidence that Type A men are physiologically reactive in challenging situations and that behavioral programs, in combination with cardiac counseling, can reduce recurrent morbidity and mortality.

Coronary Disease↗
PubMed1996

Infant regulation of the vagal "brake" predicts child behavior problems: a psychobiological model of social behavior.

Cardiac vagal tone is a construct that describes the functional relationship between the brainstem and the heart. Cardiac vagal tone is measured by quantifying the amplitude of respiratory sinus arrhythmia, a component of heart rate variability reflecting the functional output of vagal pathways on the heart. Although there is an extensive literature evaluating baseline vagal tone and its relation to behavior, the relation between individual differences in the ability to regulate cardiac vagal tone and behavior has been theoretically vague. This article introduces a theoretical model to explain the relation between vagal tone during steady states and vagal reactivity (i.e., the vagal brake) in response to environmental challenges. Based upon the proposed model, it was hypothesized that infants who had difficulties in regulating the vagal brake (i.e., decreasing cardiac vagal tone) during social/attention tasks would have difficulties developing appropriate social interactions requiring reciprocal engagement and disengagement strategies. Data from 24 infants are presented. The findings support the model and demonstrate that infants with difficulties in decreasing vagal tone during a social/attention task at 9 months of age had significantly more behavioral problems at 3 years of age.

Brain Stem↗
PubMed2003

Maternal behavior changes after immune challenge of neonates with developmental effects on adult social behavior.

To examine whether maternal responsiveness during interactions with endotoxin-treated pups contributes to long-term effects on social development, neonatal mice were fostered on postnatal day 1 to dams from three selectively bred lines that differ in social behaviors. On day 5, neonates were administered saline or 0.5 mg/kg endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, i.p.). Observations of undisturbed dams and litters on days 2, 4, 6, and 8 showed modest line differences in maternal behaviors. At the peak intensity of the transient illness induced by endotoxin (3 hr postinjection on day 5), dams increased licking and decreased time off-nest for endotoxin, but not saline-treated pups. As adults, fostered-reared males were observed in brief social interactions. Males exposed to endotoxin early in life showed changes in adult social behaviors that depended on foster dam line as well as individual differences in maternal responsiveness. Maternal responsiveness to stressed neonates can ameliorate the social-developmental effects of early illness.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Changes in appetitive behavior in weanling-age rats: transitions from suckling to feeding behavior.

To help identify determinants of rat appetitive behavior during the weanling period, rat pups 17-32 days of age were studied in a Y-maze. One arm of the maze provided pups with the opportunity to suckle a lactating or nonlactating anesthetized female. The other arm always contained a familiar food, either liquid diet or ground laboratory chow. In some experiments the dam was separated from the food compartment by a thin gauze screen. In other tests maternal contact could be maintained in the feeding goal but suckling in that compartment was prevented by nipple involution. Age was the major determinant of choice, with more older animals choosing the food arm. Availability of maternal contact in the feeding compartment increased the percentage of rats that chose to feed by about 20% at all ages studied. Food quality, but not quantity, affected choice at each age, as did lactational status. Prior food, water, and maternal deprivation (2 or 24 hr) did not affect choice behavior at any age but did influence behavior in the goal box. These findings are discussed within the context of the changing demands faced by the rats during the weaning period.

Aging↗
PubMed1981

Behavioral effects of hashish in mice. IV. Social dominance, food dominance, and sexual behavior within a group of males.

Within groups of three adult male mice the acute and subchronic effects of hashish extract (20 mg delta 9-THC/kg) on social dominance, food dominance, and sexual interactions with a female were investigated. An initial drug treatment of only the dominant male weakened his social position, but dominance was regained after treatment 2 or 3. In contrast, a persistent change in dominance was found when only the male which was dominant in the feeding test was treated with the extract. Simultaneous drug treatment of all three males did not affect the social dominance relationship but resulted in a reversible change in food dominance. The original feeding order was reestablished after drug treatment 3. Upon meeting an estrous female, no male of the group was distinctly dominant in mating. After treatment 1 was given to all members of the group, all types of behavior were impaired and total activity was significantly reduced. After treatment 2, animals showed tolerance to the sedative effects, and after treatment 3, sexual behavior was even more frequent in drugged animals than in controls. The results are discussed in relation to a possible dependence of behavioral drug effects and tolerance development on the experimental situation.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Effect of isolation on brain monoamines and the behavior of mice in tests of exploration, locomotion, anxiety and behavioral 'despair'.

We have recently found that, besides an increase in aggression, isolation increases social interaction in NIH Swiss mice. In the present study the effect of isolation in other behavioral paradigms and their relation to brain monoamine concentrations were investigated. Mice, isolated for 0-20 days, were tested in the holeboard test of exploration and locomotor activity, the plus-maze test of anxiety, and Porsolt's swim test of behavioral 'despair.' Isolation reduced exploratory head-dipping, increased locomotor activity and increased the preference of mice for the open arms of the plus-maze. The immobility time in the swim test was shortened in mice isolated for 2 or 5 days, suggesting an improved ability to cope with stressful situations. Monoamine assays failed to show significant changes in the noradrenaline, dopamine, HVA, 5-HT or 5-HIAA contents in the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus or brain stem. The results indicate that isolation of NIH Swiss mice for less than three weeks induces several behavioral changes, but is not particularly stressful.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Behavioral weight-loss for multiply-handicapped adults: assessing caretaker involvement and measures of behavior change.

Two groups of cerebral palsied, mentally retarded, overweight adults received training in seven behavioral self-control techniques for reducing caloric intake and increasing activity levels over the course of 19 weeks. One group's parents/caretakers had frequent contacts from the diet leader, (Home-Help Group); the other group, balanced with the first for degree of handicap, had no caretaker-directed communications other than initial notification (No Help Group). Measures of adherence were included to assess the process of behavioral change during the diet program. A significant treatment effect accrued for all participants in the diet program, with the Home-Help Group of dieters showing clinically, though not statistically superior weight loss at treatment end and at follow-ups through one year. Specific behaviors taught, such as replacing utensils after each bite and eating slowly, showed significant changes in the expected directions with weight change. Implications of the data for future treatment programs are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An examination of the underlying influence of temperament and problem behaviors on drinking behaviors in a sample of adult offspring of alcoholics.

The present study investigated the potential mediating influence of childhood and early adolescent temperament and problem behaviors on the relation between parental alcoholism and adult drinking behaviors in a sample of 153 offspring of alcoholics and their controls. The influence of the alcoholic parent's and the offspring's gender on this relation was also assessed. Both gender of the parent and gender of the offspring were found to have important differential effects. More specifically, individuals with an alcoholic father consumed more alcohol, were more concerned about their drinking, and were more concerned about the possibility of developing a drinking problem than those without an alcoholic father. In contrast, no significant relations emerged between maternal alcoholism and drinking behaviors. Gender differences among the offspring were also observed, with males drinking more frequently to "get high" and scoring higher on the MAST than females. Finally, gregariousness was found to significantly mediate the relation between paternal alcoholism and frequency of drinking to "get high" and frequency of drinking to "get drunk" for males. Possible explanations regarding the differential results pertaining to gender and the lack of significant findings concerning mediation are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Rating problem behaviors in outpatients with mental retardation: use of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist.

Parent and teacher ratings of behavior problems of an outpatient sample of 110 children, adolescents, and young adults with IQs ranging from severe mental retardation to borderline were obtained using a modified version of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). Using factor analytic techniques, the five-factor structure of the parent data corresponded extremely well with the five factors originally obtained from staff ratings of mentally retarded inpatients (i.e., Irritability, Withdrawal, Hyperactivity, Stereotypies, and Inappropriate Speech). Factor content was virtually identical between the parent and original ABC data with differences involving only one or two items per scale. The teacher data also revealed a factor structure that corresponded to the same five factors as the parent and original data. Although the teacher and parent factors showed a high degree of similarity, the teacher data suggested that the Stereotypies and Inappropriate Speech factors of the parent and original analyses were not the same constructs for teacher respondents. Age was related to the withdrawal factor for parent data; level of intellectual functioning was the only subject characteristic related to factor scale scores in both parent and teacher data. Test-retest reliabilities were adequate to excellent for all factors for both parent and teacher data. Parent-teacher cross-informant reliabilities were adequate for at least four of the factors. The results of the report indicate that the ABC is a useful, reliable instrument for assessing maladaptive behaviors in young, developmentally disabled outpatients.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Low birth weight (LBW) infants' exploratory behavior at 12 and 24 months: effects of intraventricular hemorrhage and mothers' attention directing behaviors.

Medically high-risk (HR), low birth weight (LBW) preterm infants (n = 11) with significant degrees of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) were seen at 12 and 24 months of age. This HR group was compared with a low-risk (LR) LBW preterm group (n = 16) with respiratory distress syndrome or mild grades of IVH, and a normal full-term (FT) group (n = 12). Infants and their mothers were observed in a 10-min toy-centered play interaction to determine if more advanced exploratory play occurred in association with specific maternal attention-directing behaviors. Results showed that the FT infants were able to respond with advanced exploratory play to unstructured as well as structured strategies, but that higher level play for the LR infants was associated with structured strategies. The HR infants showed fewer play responses than the other two infant groups regardless of whether mothers used structured or unstructured strategies. All infant groups showed more exploratory play behavior in relation to mothers' maintaining versus redirecting behavior.

Attention↗
PubMed2004

Explaining adolescents' smoking and drinking behavior: the concept of smoker and drinker prototypes in relation to variables of the theory of planned behavior.

Research has demonstrated that social image factors play an important role in the course of adolescent's substance use, that is, smoking and drinking. The concept of social images or prototypes is embedded into a theoretical model called the prototype/willingness model. The present study addresses the relative value of the prototype/willingness model in relation to the theory of planned behavior. To study relations between prototypes and adolescents' willingness and intention to engage in smoking and drinking behavior, cross-sectional data among 2814 adolescents (12-16 years) were gathered. Results show that adolescents describe daily-smoking and weekly-drinking peers generally as slightly well adjusted, slightly rebellious, not really cool, and not really attractive. Positive relations were observed between smoker and drinker prototypes and adolescents' intention and willingness to smoke and drink in the future. Furthermore, regression analyses showed that prototypes of daily-smoking and weekly-drinking peers explained a significant part of the variance in intention and willingness to smoke and drink, and added significantly to the variance explained by the variables of the theory of planned behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Are persons with diabetes practicing healthier behaviors in the year 2001? Results from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

BACKGROUND: To examine changes in modifiable health-risk behaviors of diabetic persons in the United States. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted of noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 years or older, in states that participated in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 1995 and 2001. Changes in self-reported health-risk behaviors among persons with diabetes are examined for those years (5,218 in 1995 and 13,733 in 2001 for the core instrument; 3,227 in 1995 and 9,304 in 2001 for the diabetes module). RESULTS: From 1995 to 2001, the percentage of persons with diabetes who were obese, had ever been told their blood pressure or blood cholesterol was high, or had their blood cholesterol checked in the past year increased significantly. Significant increases were also reported among diabetic persons who were former smokers, received an annual influenza vaccination, ever received a pneumococcal vaccination, performed daily self-monitoring of blood glucose, received annual foot examination, and received annual dilated eye exam. CONCLUSIONS: Continued emphasis needs to be placed on a multirisk factor approach to prevent, delay, and reduce the complications of diabetes.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Behavioral and epileptic determinants of predatory attack behavior in the cat.

This report presents studies which relate limbic epileptic excitability to behavioral measures of defensive suppression of predatory attack in cats. Correlated with heightened defensiveness to environmental stimuli among non-killer cats is a heightened amygdaloid epileptic excitability, as well as a heightened conduction of amygdaloid epileptic activity to thalamic and hypothalamic substrates of predatory response in the amygdala to the complex visual stimuli presented by rat prey. These neurosensory responses correlate well with measures of epileptic excitability. Brain and behavior measures appear related since enhancement of excitability in the amygdala and of projection of epileptic activity by repeated electrical stimulation of predatory attacks. Furthermore, the ventral hippocampus seems capable of antagonizing the behaviorally suppressive effects of heightened amygdaloid excitability perhaps at points of convergence of amygdaloid and hippocampal output.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Reactive aggression in boys with disruptive behavior disorders: behavior, physiology, and affect.

This study examined responses to peer provocation in boys ages 9-13 years who met symptomatic criteria for ADHD-only, ODD/CD-only, comorbid ADHD/ODD/CD, or no diagnosis. Boys participated in a reaction-time game that included standardized verbal and behavioral provocation. Their behavioral, physiological, and affective responses to this task were measured. Results showed that groups did not differ following high levels of provocation because all boys behaved aggressively. However, following low provocation boys with comorbid ADHD/ODD/CD had higher levels of behavioral aggression, had greater heart rate acceleration, and were rated as angrier than all other boys. In addition, boys with comorbid ADHD/ODD/CD held a grudge longer than other children. Results suggest that boys with comorbid ADHD/ODD/CD are especially reactive to provocation from their peers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

A comparison of the generalization of behavioral marital therapy and enhanced behavioral marital therapy.

This study examined the generalization of behavioral marital therapy (BMT) and enhanced behavioral marital therapy (EBMT), which added cognitive restructuring, affect exploration, and generalization training to BMT. Couples' communication and cognitions were assessed in the clinic and at home. Both BMT and EBMT were effective in decreasing negative communication behaviors and cognition across settings, but there was little evidence of differential generalization or change between the treatments. A series of regression equations showed no significant association between the extent of change in communication or cognitions and change in frequency of marital disagreements or marital satisfaction. It is concluded that BMT results in impressive generalization of communication and cognitive change, but it remains to be demonstrated that these changes are crucial to improvements in marital satisfaction.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Comparison of education versus behavioral skills training interventions in lowering sexual HIV-risk behavior of substance-dependent adolescents.

Substance-dependent adolescents (N = 34) in a residential drug treatment facility received either a 6-session behavior skills training HIV-risk reduction intervention or standard HIV education. After the intervention, adolescents who received behavior skills training exhibited increased knowledge about HIV-AIDS, more favorable attitudes toward prevention and condom use, more internal locus of control, increased self-efficacy, increased recognition of HIV risk and decreases in high-risk sexual activity. Self-report data were corroborated by records for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. The results from this pilot demonstration effort suggest that skills training based on cognitive-behavioral principles may be effective in lowering high-risk adolescents' vulnerability to HIV infection and warrant evaluation in a controlled comparison with a larger sample.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2005

Same behavior, different consequences: reactions to men's and women's altruistic citizenship behavior.

In 2 experimental studies, the authors hypothesized that the performance of altruistic citizenship behavior in a work setting would enhance the favorability of men's (but not women's) evaluations and recommendations, whereas the withholding of altruistic citizenship behavior would diminish the favorability of women's (but not men's) evaluations and recommendations. Results supported the authors' predictions. Together with the results of a 3rd study demonstrating that work-related altruism is thought to be less optional for women than for men, these results suggest that gender-stereotypic prescriptions regarding how men and women should behave result in different evaluative reactions to the same altruistic behavior, depending on the performer's sex.

Adult↗