The Development of Voluntary Behavior in Preschool-Age Children

In the literature on the psychology of the preschool-age child one finds it frequently stated that the preschool period is when the first signs of the development of volition [or the will] appear (Ushinsky [19], Sikorskii [17], Kornilov [6], and others). Empirical studies on the development of specific processes in the child, e.g., perception, memory, speech, and movement, have shown that the principal change these processes undergo in the three-to-seven-year-old child is that they become voluntary and subject to regulation.* Empirical studies have also been made, of course, on the specific problem of the development of voluntary behavior in the child (Ivanov [4], Gurevich [3], Gorbacheva [2]).     

The Development of Motor Acts with Objects in the Preschool Child

Through the influence of his educative environment, the preschool child gradually learns to subjugate his actions to voluntary control. When the child has developed so far that he is able (at least partially) consciously to subordinate his actions to a specific goal, we can say that he has made an important step toward consciously assimilating the knowledge and complex skills he learns in school.     

A Method for Recording the Motor Activity of the Reticulum in Cattle

A method for recording the motility of the reticulum in normal cattle has been devised. The method is based on measurement of the pressure variations occurring in connection with the reticular contractions. The pressure is transferred through open, water-filled catheters via a pressure transducer to an electromanometer, from which it is recorded with the aid of a mingograf. Mean values for the interval, duration and amplitude of the reticular contractions in 10 normal cows are given. The method permits recording in intact animals without any preliminary measures, and can therefore be used in clinical cases.     

Emergence of Motor Circuit Activity

In the developing nervous system, ordered neuronal activity patterns can occur even in the absence of sensory input and to investigate how these arise, we have used the model system of the embryonic chicken spinal motor circuit, focusing on motor neurons of the lateral motor column (LMC). At the earliest stages of their molecular differentiation, we can detect differences between medial and lateral LMC neurons in terms of expression of neurotransmitter receptor subunits, including CHRNA5, CHRNA7, GRIN2A, GRIK1, HTR1A and HTR1B, as well as the KCC2 transporter. Using patch-clamp recordings we also demonstrate that medial and lateral LMC motor neurons have subtly different activity patterns that reflect the differential expression of neurotransmitter receptor subunits. Using a combination of patch-clamp recordings in single neurons and calcium-imaging of motor neuron populations, we demonstrate that inhibition of nicotinic, muscarinic or GABA-ergic activity, has profound effects of motor circuit activity during the initial stages of neuromuscular junction formation. Finally, by analysing the activity of large populations of motor neurons at different developmental stages, we show that the asynchronous, disordered neuronal activity that occurs at early stages of circuit formation develops into organised, synchronous activity evident at the stage of LMC neuron muscle innervation. In light of the considerable diversity of neurotransmitter receptor expression, activity patterns in the LMC are surprisingly similar between neuronal types, however the emergence of patterned activity, in conjunction with the differential expression of transmitter systems likely leads to the development of near-mature patterns of locomotor activity by perinatal ages.     

Mechanisms of Transposition of Relations in Preschool-Age Children

The study of transposition, as the references to the work of Kuenne and Spence in this paper indicate, has long been a favorite testing ground for S-R theories of learning and mental development. The addition of modern eye-movement recording technology gives this paper very much in common with the recent work of Vinpillot (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 1968, 6, 632-650), although the results of the two studies seem difficult to reconcile. Vinpillot's data indicate that young children do less sampling of the attributes of stimuli being compared.     

The Development of Writing in the Child

The history of writing in the child begins long before a teacher first puts a pencil in the child's hand and shows him how to form letters.     

Epilepsy in childhood: findings from the National Child Development Study.

By the age of 11 years 1043 children (6.7%) in an unselected national sample had a history of seizures or other episodes of loss of consciousness; 322 (20.8/1000) had a history of febrile convulsions without other epileptic problems. A clear-cut diagnosis of non-febrile epilepsy was established in 64 children (4.1/1000) by the age of 11 on the basis of confirmatory information supplied by family doctors and paediatricians. A further 39 (2.6/1000) were reported as having epilepsy but did not fulfil the study criteria. The progress of 59 of the 64 children with estabished epilepsy was reviewed again when they were aged 16. Of the 37 educated in normal schools eight (22%) had one or more seizures in their 16th year compared with 13 out of 22 (59%) who received special education. A possible cause for epilepsy was found in 17 of the 64 (27%) children, but for the majority there was no obvious reason.     

Relationship between Resilience,Psychological Distress and Physical Activity in Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Observation Study

ObjectivePsychological distress remains a major challenge in cancer care. The complexity of psychological symptoms in cancer patients requires multifaceted symptom management tailored to individual patient characteristics and active patient involvement. We assessed the relationship between resilience, psychological distress and physical activity in cancer patients to elucidate potential moderators of the identified relationships.MethodA cross-sectional observational study to assess the prevalence of symptoms and supportive care needs of oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy or chemo-radiation therapy in a tertiary oncology service. Resilience was assessed using the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10), social support was evaluated using the 12-item Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and both psychological distress and activity level were measured using corresponding subscales of the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL). Socio-demographic and medical data were extracted from patient medical records. Correlation analyses were performed and structural equation modeling was employed to assess the associations between resilience, psychological distress and activity level as well as selected socio-demographic variables.ResultsData from 343 patients were included in the analysis. Our revised model demonstrated an acceptable fit to the data (χ²(163) = 313.76, p = .000, comparative fit index (CFI) = .942, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = .923, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .053, 90% CI [.044.062]). Resilience was negatively associated with psychological distress (β = -.59), and positively associated with activity level (β = .20). The relationship between resilience and psychological distress was moderated by age (β = -0.33) but not social support (β = .10, p = .12).ConclusionCancer patients with higher resilience, particularly older patients, experience lower psychological distress. Patients with higher resilience are physically more active. Evaluating levels of resilience in cancer patients then tailoring targeted interventions to facilitate resilience may help improve the effectiveness of psychological symptom management interventions.     

A Preliminary Study of the Invertase Activity in Coconut

The invertase activity in the mesocarp and stalk tissues ofyoung coconut fruits was confined solely to the 900 g particulatefraction. This particulate fraction when treated with TritonX-100 released a large percentage of the total invertase activityfrom the pellet into the supernatant. The invertase was activatedby mercaptoethanol and inhibited by EDTA. Cocos nucifera, invertase, particulate fraction, stalk, mesocarp, Triton X-100     

Psychological Characteristics of the Work Activity of Older Schoolchildren

The Resolution of the June 1983 Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee entitled "Current problems of party ideological and mass political work".     

Transference of Action as a Function of Intellect: A Study of the Intellectual Activity of the Child Using a Variable Problem Box

To help the reader understand the strangeness and absurdity of the tradition of ignoring the work of Shpet, I shall start with his reflections on the classic problem of thought and word, with which all the psychologists mentioned above have dealt. When he says that the cause of thought is sensuously given, Shpet defines it as a springboard from which we vault to the "pure object":

Having pushed off the springboard, thought must not only overcome material resistance but also use it as a supporting medium. If it had to drag along its entire corporeal [veshchnyi] baggage, it would not go far. But, by that same token, it would not survive in an ideal environment, whether in an absolute vacuum or in absolute formlessness, i.e., without expedient adaptation of its form to that environment. Its image, form, appearance, and ideal flesh are the word.     

Basic Principles of a Psychological Analysis in the Theory of Activity

The general psychological theory of activity created by L. S. Vygotsky, A. N. Leontev, A. R. Luria, and their disciples has entered a critical phase in its development. An external sign of the advent of this phase is the increased frequency of discussions of the role of the category of activity in building the conceptual apparatus of psychology. One hears ever more insistently the idea that the category of activity is threatening to become a kind of monster, ready to devour all other psychological concepts [4,14,37,45]A.n internal sign of the advent of this critical phase in the development of the theory of activity is the discrepancy between the tremendous amount of factual material accumulated in the various special areas of psychology in which the theory of activity plays a special role and the initial principles of this theory, formulated very early, when it was just being developed. As a result, a paradox has emerged: a theory engendered by the exigencies of practice is beginning to be perceived as a theory independent of practice. A critical phase in the development of any theory, like a crisis in the development of the life of a child, means the beginning of a new stage in its existence. For such a critical phase to occur, at least the following steps are, I think, necessary. The first step is enumerating the original principles of the theory of activity. The second involves an analysis, through the prism of these original principles, of all the factual material accumulated in the special areas of psychology and in general psychology. This analysis will overcome the discrepancy between the key principles of the theory of activity and the factual material, and will also help to refine and modify those principles. Finally, the third stage is the development of prospects for basic and applied research, i.e., defining the area for the most immediate development of a psychology built on the basis of a general psychological theory of activity.     

鱼类三叉神经运动核的形态学研究

目的:应用生物胞素法观察罗非鱼三叉神经运动核的形态及细胞分布特征.方法:本实验用罗非鱼,15只(性别不限),体长12～16 cm,动物浸入140 mg/L三卡因间氨苯酸乙脂甲磺酸盐{tricaine methanesulfonate (MS222)}溶液中麻醉,在手术显微镜下暴露神经,通过生物胞素(Biocytin)结晶追踪技术研究定位硬骨鱼类三叉神经运动核的形态及细胞分布.结果:①硬骨鱼类罗非鱼的三叉神经运动核分为腹侧和背侧两组细胞群.②三叉神经根注入列中两组细胞群都能观察到被标记的细胞.下颌神经注入列中被标记的细胞以背侧群为主.上颌神经及眼神经注入列中两群细胞都没有发现被标记细胞,但上颌神经组中能观察到神经终末及突触联系.结论:硬骨鱼类罗非鱼的三叉神经运动核分为两组细胞群.三叉神经运动核发出的纤维走行于下颌神经内.     

From Spontaneous Motor Activity to Coordinated Behaviour: A Developmental Model

In mammals, the developmental path that links the primary behaviours observed during foetal stages to the full fledged behaviours observed in adults is still beyond our understanding. Often theories of motor control try to deal with the process of incremental learning in an abstract and modular way without establishing any correspondence with the mammalian developmental stages. In this paper, we propose a computational model that links three distinct behaviours which appear at three different stages of development. In order of appearance, these behaviours are: spontaneous motor activity (SMA), reflexes, and coordinated behaviours, such as locomotion. The goal of our model is to address in silico four hypotheses that are currently hard to verify in vivo: First, the hypothesis that spinal reflex circuits can be self-organized from the sensor and motor activity induced by SMA. Second, the hypothesis that supraspinal systems can modulate reflex circuits to achieve coordinated behaviour. Third, the hypothesis that, since SMA is observed in an organism throughout its entire lifetime, it provides a mechanism suitable to maintain the reflex circuits aligned with the musculoskeletal system, and thus adapt to changes in body morphology. And fourth, the hypothesis that by changing the modulation of the reflex circuits over time, one can switch between different coordinated behaviours. Our model is tested in a simulated musculoskeletal leg actuated by six muscles arranged in a number of different ways. Hopping is used as a case study of coordinated behaviour. Our results show that reflex circuits can be self-organized from SMA, and that, once these circuits are in place, they can be modulated to achieve coordinated behaviour. In addition, our results show that our model can naturally adapt to different morphological changes and perform behavioural transitions.