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International Paper Session - Interpretations of Complex Human Behavior |
Sunday, May 25, 2008 |
1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
PDR 3 |
Area: TPC |
Chair: Richard W. Malott (Western Michigan University) |
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Cooperation in the Context of Rule-Governance and Contingency Manipulation: A Theoretical Analysis. |
Domain: Theory |
SHARLET D. BUTTERFIELD (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
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Abstract: Cooperation can be considered as a function of coordinated behavior with respect to some conjoint outcome. Cooperation with humans, however, is never as simple as the total number of responses that each organism engages in that together result in a shared consequence. For example, with humans one must take into consideration the role of verbal behavior and how rules may alter or transform the function of the cooperative behavior. Reinforcement history with respect to cooperating in the past as well as with the current “partner” may also influence cooperative-like responses. In addition, other social variables such as the presence of others or competitive responses and different types of interlocking outcomes (e.g., monetary) and their associated risk may have an affect. In short, this presentation will discuss the function of cooperation in the context of rule-governance and with respect to contingency manipulations. |
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A Contingency Analysis of Mothers’ Roles across Cultures. |
Domain: Theory |
THOURAYA AL-NASSER (University of Nevada, Reno), Diana M. Delgado (University of Nevada, Reno), Linda J. Parrott Hayes (University of Nevada, Reno) |
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Abstract: The societal expectations of women in the role of mother, and the contingencies operating in the interest of those expectations being met, vary across cultures and religious groups. This paper addresses these differences as they apply to educated women in North America, Latin America and the Middle East. |
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Confessions of a Christian Atheist. |
Domain: Theory |
RICHARD W. MALOTT (Western Michigan University) |
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Abstract: Most of my high-IQ, smart-guy, hard-science buddies can’t resist a diatribal wallow in the reinforcers of righteous indignation, as they proclaim that religion is the root of all evil and enthusiastically cite the mean-spirited Sam Harris’ The End of Faith as scientific proof. But I, as a Christian atheist, humbly and quietly suggest that religion may be the only thing standing between us and dog-eat-dog social chaos. Theologians have struggled for millennia in their futile effort to reconcile the reality of bad things happening to good people with the belief in a loving, just, omnipotent god. But I, as a Christian atheist, humbly and quietly suggest they suck it up and learn to love paradox. The new pope shocks the world by saying all religions are equal but Catholicism is more equal than others. And I, as a Christian atheist, say ecumenism was still born, long live ecumenism. |
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