title: The efficacy of systematic desensitization for treating the separation-related problem behaviour of domestic dogs

authors: Butler, Rynae

subjects: systematic desensitization

abstract: The evaluation of systematic desensitization to treat separation-related problem behaviours, such as destruction of property, excessive barking, or house-soiling, has tended to rely on single case-studies. Eight dogs exhibiting separation-related behaviour, and their owners, participated in a controlled experiment using a within-subjects design to evaluate the efficacy of a combination of systematic desensitization and counter-conditioning. Treatment produced significant reductions in both the frequency (T(9)) = 0.0, P = 0.008) and the severity (T(9)) = 0.0, P = 0.008) of separation-related behaviours compared to baseline. Six dogs, for which follow-up data were obtained three months after treatment ended, showed almost complete elimination of the problem behaviour. The use of counter-conditioning, and other behavioural advice, did not appear to be related to the success of the treatment, suggesting that systematic desensitization was the critical element. Speed of progress and final success was not related to the consistency with which the owners applied systematic desensitization, indicating that even when owners apply systematic desensitization haphazardly, it can still be successful in treating separation-related behaviour in dogs.

text: The efficacy of systematic desensitization for treating the separation-related problem behaviour of domestic dogs The evaluation of systematic desensitization to treat separation-related problem behaviours, such as destruction of property, excessive barking, or house-soiling, has tended to rely on single case-studies. Eight dogs exhibiting separation-related behaviour, and their owners, participated in a controlled experiment using a within-subjects design to evaluate the efficacy of a combination of systematic desensitization and counter-conditioning. Treatment produced significant reductions in both the frequency (T(9)) = 0.0, P = 0.008) and the severity (T(9)) = 0.0, P = 0.008) of separation-related behaviours compared to baseline. Six dogs, for which follow-up data were obtained three months after treatment ended, showed almost complete elimination of the problem behaviour. The use of counter-conditioning, and other behavioural advice, did not appear to be related to the success of the treatment, suggesting that systematic desensitization was the critical element. Speed of progress and final success was not related to the consistency with which the owners applied systematic desensitization, indicating that even when owners apply systematic desensitization haphazardly, it can still be successful in treating separation-related behaviour in dogs.

year: 2010

title: Analogy instructions promote efficiency of cognitive processes during hockey push-pass performance

authors: van Duijn, Tina

subjects: Social Sciences

abstract: Analogy instructions may promote effective skill acquisition by providing movement-specific information that can be processed as a single, meaningful unit, rather than as separate “bits” of information (Liao & Masters, 2001; Masters, 2000). Behavioral evidence suggests that information processing associated with analogy instructions is less effortful than information processing associated with explicit instructions, resulting in reduced verbal−analytical involvement in movement control (Lam, Maxwell, & Masters, 2009b). This experiment was designed to test whether analogy instructions promote higher psychomotor efficiency, characterized by greater high-α power in the left hemisphere of the brain (Hillman, Apparies, Janelle, & Hatfield, 2000) and reduced coactivation between the verbal processing (left temporal lobe T7) and motor planning regions of the brain (frontal midline Fz; Hatfield & Hillman, 2001) during motor performance. Novices practiced a hockey push-pass task using an analogy instruction, explicit instructions, or no instructions (control). Push-pass accuracy during a combined task (passing coupled with decision-making) was significantly better following the analogy instruction, which suggested that information processing was less effortful. Left-temporal (T7) electroencephalography (EEG) high-α power was significantly higher in the analogy condition, but T7−Fz coactivation was not significantly different among the conditions. It is possible that the analogy instruction influenced verbal aspects of information processing without impacting the efficiency of motor planning. Consequently, an analogy instruction may promote cognitive, rather than psychomotor, efficiency.

text: Analogy instructions promote efficiency of cognitive processes during hockey push-pass performance Analogy instructions may promote effective skill acquisition by providing movement-specific information that can be processed as a single, meaningful unit, rather than as separate “bits” of information (Liao & Masters, 2001; Masters, 2000). Behavioral evidence suggests that information processing associated with analogy instructions is less effortful than information processing associated with explicit instructions, resulting in reduced verbal−analytical involvement in movement control (Lam, Maxwell, & Masters, 2009b). This experiment was designed to test whether analogy instructions promote higher psychomotor efficiency, characterized by greater high-α power in the left hemisphere of the brain (Hillman, Apparies, Janelle, & Hatfield, 2000) and reduced coactivation between the verbal processing (left temporal lobe T7) and motor planning regions of the brain (frontal midline Fz; Hatfield & Hillman, 2001) during motor performance. Novices practiced a hockey push-pass task using an analogy instruction, explicit instructions, or no instructions (control). Push-pass accuracy during a combined task (passing coupled with decision-making) was significantly better following the analogy instruction, which suggested that information processing was less effortful. Left-temporal (T7) electroencephalography (EEG) high-α power was significantly higher in the analogy condition, but T7−Fz coactivation was not significantly different among the conditions. It is possible that the analogy instruction influenced verbal aspects of information processing without impacting the efficiency of motor planning. Consequently, an analogy instruction may promote cognitive, rather than psychomotor, efficiency.

year: 2019

title: Report on the bicultural symposium at conference

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

subjects: Maori

abstract: Kia ora koutou. I decided to submit the current paper as a way to say thank you to the large group of people in attendance at the bicultural stream at the national conference in late August that was held at Waikato University. It was their continued presence and participation that served as a catalyst and motivator for this paper. I'm conscious that while there was a large number of people in the symposium, there were other streams occurring at the same time, so I thought giving an overview of the success of the symposium would be a good way to let people know who the symposium went. However, before talking specifically about the symposium, I'd like to give mention to other events of the day...

text: Report on the bicultural symposium at conference Kia ora koutou. I decided to submit the current paper as a way to say thank you to the large group of people in attendance at the bicultural stream at the national conference in late August that was held at Waikato University. It was their continued presence and participation that served as a catalyst and motivator for this paper. I'm conscious that while there was a large number of people in the symposium, there were other streams occurring at the same time, so I thought giving an overview of the success of the symposium would be a good way to let people know who the symposium went. However, before talking specifically about the symposium, I'd like to give mention to other events of the day...

year: 2007