A theory of ironic processes of mental control is proposed to account for the intentional and counterintentional effects that result from efforts at self-control of mental states. The theory holds that an attempt to control the mind introduces operating and monitoring processes that work together and separately. (SLD)

Presents a four-part theoretical treatment of the planning of speech movements that favors models in which the only invariant targets are regions in auditory perceptual space over models that posit invariant construction targets. Computer simulations illustrate the models. (SLD)

A dynamic systems model is proposed on the basis of a general developmental mechanism adopted from the theories of J. Piaget and L. S. Vygotsky. In the model, action and experience have a distributed effect on the contents (skills, knowledge, rules, action patterns, etc.) along an abstract developmental distance dimension. (Author/SLD)

How might one account for the organization in behavior without attributing it to an internal control structure? The present article develops a theoretical framework called behavioral dynamics that integrates an information-based approach to perception with a dynamical systems approach to action. For a given task, the agent and its environment are…

This article proposes a theoretical framework for accommodating psychological aspects of incentive relationships. (Author)

The author examines the structure of judgmental tasks, the extent to which people can observe the outcomes of judgments, and how outcomes are coded and interpreted. (Author/RK)

Recent revisions of cognitive dissonance theory no longer encompass some of the important examples, data, and hypotheses that were part of Festinger's (1957) original statement. These changes are so substantial as to prompt the observation that the evolved theory might be identified as a different theory. (Editor/RK)

A recent article by Nicholls on achievement motivation is criticized on three points: (1) definitions of achievement motives are ambiguous; (2) behavioral consequences predicted do not follow from explicit theoretical assumptions; and (3) Nicholls's account of the relation between his theory and other achievement theories is factually incorrect.…

The author replies to criticism of his interpretation of achievement motivation. A distinction between goals of demonstrating and developing ability cannot be made in task involvement. Attempts to extend the author's theory by adding this distinction suffer from a failure to predict when these different goals will predominate. (Author/LMO)

Several criticisms of Bandura's "reciprocal determinism" are offered: the unidirectional causal account works in cases cited by Bandura; Mackie's criticism of Russell's view of causation also applies to Bandura; and "reciprocal determinism" is a misleading expression when stressing person/environment interactions. (Author/BW)

In their analysis of reciprocal determinism, Phillips and Orton (TM 509 061) mistakenly assume that behavior, cognitive and other personal factors, and environmental events operate as a simultaneous wholistic interaction. Contrary to this belief, the interactants in triadic reciprocality work their mutual effects sequentially over variable time…

Judgments under uncertainty are often mediated by intuitive heuristics that are not bound by the conjunction rule of probability. Representativeness and availability heuristics can make a conjunction appear more probable than one of its constituents. Alternative interpretations of this conjunction fallacy are discussed and attempts to combat it…

Article describes a study in stimulus-sampling that now makes it possible for the theory to account for the increased resistance to extinction following partial reinforcement. (Author/ML)