bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dream-Recall Frequency and Waking Imagery
Authors: Okada Hitoshi , Matsuoka Kazuo , Hatakeyama Takao
Published: August 2011

The purpose was to investigate the relationship between dream-recall frequency and waking imagery, so 323 undergraduates completed four imagery tests: (1) Sheehan's modified version of Betts' Questionnaire on Mental Imagery, (2) Marks' Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, (3) the Gordon Test of Visual Imagery Control, (4) Richardson's Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire, and a dream-recall questionnaire which contained a question about dream-recall frequency. When scores on the four imagery tests and the seven sensory subscales of the Questionnaire on Mental Imagery were compared for the n = 82 frequent and n = 80 infrequent dream recallers, higher recall was associated with more vivid voluntary images and more frequent use of visual imagery; however, control visual imagery as measured by the Test of Visual Imagery Control was not associated with dream-recall frequency. Scores for frequent use of visual imagery on dream-recall frequency might have been due to the two items of the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire which asked about dream experiences. The results for the seven sensory subscales of the Betts' questionnaire indicated that the frequency of dream recall was significantly related to scores on visual, cutaneous, and organic but not on auditory, gustatory, kinaesthetic, and olfactory subscales. No significant differences were found between males and females. Present findings indicated that forming vivid mental images in the waking state is related to frequency of dream recall and support Cohen's salience theory of dream recall, i.e., that evoking vivid waking mental images voluntarily may play an important role in retrieving dream images or saving them during wakefulness. All sensory modalities should be considered in study of dream recall.
Human Olfactory Communication of Emotion
Authors: Chen Denise , Haviland-Jones Jeannette
Published: August 2011

Nonhuman animals communicate their emotional states through changes in body odor. The study reported here suggests that this may be the same for humans. We collected underarm odors on gauze pads from 25 young women and men on two different occasions. On one occasion the donors were induced to feel happy by viewing an excerpt from a funny movie whereas on the other, separated by a day, they were induced to feel afraid by watching an excerpt from a frightening movie. One week later, 40 women and 37 men were asked to smell several different bottles, some of which contained underarm odor pads collected during the happy movie, some contained underarm odor pads collected during the frightening movie, whereas others contained unused pads (control odor). Each odor was identified on two separate tasks that involved identifying the odor from among three odors and identifying it again from among six odors. Data were the number of women and men who identified an odor correctly on both tasks. When asked to select which bottles contained “the odor of people when they are happy,” women chose the correct bottles for both tasks significantly more often than chance. Men chose the bottle which contained the body odors collected when women (but not men) viewed the happy movie more often than would be expected by chance. When asked to select which bottles contained “the odor of people when they are afraid,” women and men both chose the bottle that contained the body odors collected when men (but not women) viewed the frightening movie more often than would be expected by chance. The finding suggests that there is information in human body odors indicative of emotional state. This finding introduces new complexity in how humans perceive and interact.
Interpersonal Constructs of Pregnant Married Women during Pregnancy and Postpartum Period as Perceptions of Family Members
Authors: Hatta Takeshi , Kadobayashi Seiko , Iwamoto Tadako , Kasai Makiko
Published: August 2011

Interpersonal constructs and their dynamics in pregnant women during the perinatal period were investigated using a symbol figure placement technique and a semantic differential test. 16 pregnant women represented their interpersonal perceptions of family members (husband, mother, father, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and child) at four different times (34 weeks of pregnancy, 37 weeks of pregnancy, and 3 days and 30 days after delivery). Two tests indicated positive perceptions of the pregnant women (cohesion, confidence, and dependence) of family members changed over the perinatal period and their interpersonal perceptions of self-husband and self-child were the most positive next to self-mother. Based upon these findings, the support system for pregnant women was discussed.
Old and New Scales for the Assessment of Body Image: A Reply to Stunkard (2000)
Authors: Gardner Rick M.
Published: August 2011

Avoidance of shortcomings of older scales of body image and use of additional measurements in newer scales are stated.
Neuropsychological Performance as a Function of Cardiac Status among Heart Transplant Candidates: A Replication
Authors: Temple Richard O. , Putzke John D. , Boll Thomas J.
Published: August 2011

This study examined the relationship between cardiac function and cognitive test performance among candidates for heart transplant. Participants were 26 individuals undergoing heart catheterization within one day of completing a battery of cognitive tests. Partial correlation analyses controlling for age and education were used to examine the relationship between cardiac function and cognitive performance. Results replicate previous findings in that increasing hemodynamic pressure variables, e.g., pulmonary artery systolic pressure, were associated with decreased cognitive performance on a measure of psychomotor speed and attention (Trail Making Test–Part A; r = .53). In contrast, cardiac output and cardiac index appeared to be not significantly related to cognitive performance. Taken together, poor performance on cognitive tests among heart transplant candidates appears to be attentionally mediated.
Contribution of Visually Perceived Size to the Scaling of Fingertip Forces When Lifting a ‘Small’ Object
Authors: Kawai Satoru , MaCkenzie Christine L. , Ivens Chris J. , Yamamoto Takashi
Published: August 2011

The effects of visually perceived size of an object on the scaling of fingertip forces during lifting tasks were investigated using a small and lightweight object. A grip apparatus was attached to the top surface of three different size boxes of equal weight. 15 healthy adults were asked to grasp the grip apparatus with the thumb and index finger, lift it to a height of 5 cm, hold it for 8 sec, and then put it down. Force transducers embedded in the grip apparatus measured grip and load forces. When subjects lifted the same size object repeatedly, there were no size effects on the grip and load forces used by each subject. When the size was pseudorandomly varied, however, the grip and load forces exerted by 7 subjects significantly increased with increased size, while there were no size effects for the remaining subjects ( n = 8). These results suggest a smaller contribution of information on size to the force programming when lifting a small object than when lifting a larger and heavier object as used in previous studies.
Suicide and Birth Order
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

In a sample of 80 famous suicides, no differences were found between first- and last-borns in personal characteristics.
Strategies for Reaching by Individuals with Mental Retardation: Empty and Filled Glasses
Authors: Ushiyama Michio , Hosokawa Toru , Tanaka Atsushi , Okuzumi Hideyuki
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this study was to assess the reaching strategies of individuals with mental retardation under different conditions. Much about reaching has been studied from the points of view of the optimization of the reading performance and the adaptation to the object's attributes. Few studies, however, have concerned reaching among individuals with mental retardation. Eight right-handed individuals with mental retardation reached for two types of glasses, one empty and the other filled with water. We translated the position of the index finger into X-Y-Z coordinate values and examined movement time, length of trajectory, and tangential velocity under the empty and filled conditions. There was no difference between conditions on any of the variables thought in many studies for individuals without mental retardation to indicate differences between attributes. This suggests that the present individuals with mental retardation might have difficulty in using information or context for planning movement and in optimizing their reaching movement for different conditions.
Magical Ideation and Right-Sided Hemispatial Inattention on a Spatial Working Memory Task: Influences of Sex and Handedness
Authors: Nalçaci Erhan , Kalaycioglu Canan , Çíçek Metehan , Budanur Ömür Ece
Published: August 2011

A correlation between magical ideation scores and the size of relative right-sided hemispatial inattention was previously reported for healthy right-handed men performing a tactile line-bisection task. To re-investigate this relation, a computerized version of Corsi's Block-Tapping Test was used to test working memory. In this version, different numbers of cubes are simultaneously displayed on a screen, and after the cubes disappear the subject is asked to designate the cubes' locations on a grid as quickly as possible. 98 healthy medical students were divided into four groups on the basis of their handedness and sex in the following way: right-handed men, right-handed women, non right-handed men, and nonright-handed women. Each subject performed the test once with the right hand and once with the left hand. Accuracy and Neglect scores were computed for the two hemispaces separately. Also, all subjects filled in the Magical Ideation Scale which asks for hallucination-like experiences and delusion-like beliefs. In all groups a significant right-sided inattention was found when subjects performed with the right hand. Magical Ideation scores were significantly correlated with Neglect in the right hemispace for the right-handed women when the right hand was used. For the nonright-handed men, when the right hand was used, a significant negative correlation between Magical Ideation scores and Neglect scores in the left hemispace was found. Our findings support the previous study in some aspects and suggest that the correlation between hemispatial inattention and proneness to schizotypy in normal subjects is restricted to right-hand performance.
Clinicians' Recognition of 10 Different Types of Distal Radial Fractures
Authors: Oskam J. , Kingma J. , Klasen H. J.
Published: August 2011

This study concerned baseline performance in recognition of 10 different types of distal radial fractures. Verbal tasks of admitting knowing about fractures and Visual tasks were designed for each fracture type. The Verbal task of admitting knowing consisted of a description with the relevant distinctive features of the fracture. The surgical resident was asked whether he admitted knowing the particular fracture described. The Visual task consisted of X-rays for which the subject had to label the fracture or identify its distinctive features. The test was presented to 30 surgical trainees working in five teaching hospitals. On the Verbal task of admitting knowing, scores were statistically significantly higher (68% “yes”) than on the Visual task (33% correct). Responses met our criterion of 80% correct for the following fracture types: Colles's, distal forearm, and Smith's fracture. For seven other fracture types (combination radius and scaphoid, radial styloid process, dorsal Barton's, volar Barton's, pilon, chauffeur's, and lunate load fracture), the 80% criterion was not met. Analysis of the incorrect answers on the Visual task indicated that the surgical residents tended to label unknown fracture types as Colles's or Smith's fractures. Furthermore, the residents tended to overestimate their own diagnostic competence (overconfidence bias) for several fracture types. It was concluded that to improve diagnosis, the relevant distinctive features of distal radial fractures should be taught.
Is Visual Thinking “Imageless Thought”?
Authors: Kunzendorf Robert G. , Young Kara , Beecy Tamara , Beals Karen
Published: August 2011

Two measures of visual problem-solving ability and two measures of visual-imaging ability were administered to 99 subjects. Scores on the Emergent Patterns Test, a problem-solving test which requires subjects to think about specific combinations of visual icons and to identify the emergent patterns, did not correlate significantly with scores on either the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire or the Brightness of Visual Imagery Measure. Scores on the Block Visualization Test, which requires subjects to think about blocks being painted and diced and to answer questions about the resulting pieces of block, did not correlate significantly with the scores on the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire and correlated negatively with the scores on the Brightness of Visual Imagery Measure. The three nonsignificant correlations support nineteenth-century arguments that vivid imagers tend to construct sensory representations of unconscious visual thoughts, whereas “imageless thinkers” tend not to. The one negative correlation further may suggest that the conscious construction of visual imagery can sometimes interfere with the underlying processes of unconscious visual thinking.
Firearm Availability and the Use of Firearms for Suicide and Homicide
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

In a sample of 36 nations circa 1993, a measure of firearm availability based on the percentages of suicides and homicides using firearms gave better evidence for an association between firearm availability and their use for suicide and homicide than did the accidental firearm mortality rate.
A Comparison of Predictions and Data for a Model of Two Automatic Responses in Stimulus-Response Compatibility
Authors: Ghozlan Aline
Published: August 2011

Effects of stimulus-response compatibility and position of hands have previously been reported to be additive or interactive. It has been assumed in a recent model that, in some particular experimental paradigms, the presentation of the stimulus would activate two automatic responses. In the present study three theoretical limit cases of this model are investigated. The different sets of experimental data are consistent with the predicted values.
Automatic Auditory Processing and Event-Related Brain Potentials in Persons with Mental Retardation
Authors: Ikeda Kazunari , Okuzumi Hideyuki , Hayashi Akiko , Hashimoto Souichi , Kanno Atsushi
Published: August 2011

Measuring event-related brain potentials, this study examined automatic auditory processing in adults with and without mental retardation. Using an auditory oddball paradigm under an inattentive condition, we anticipated that an enhanced negative potential would be followed by a relatively small positive potential. The former was considered as the mismatch negativity and the latter as the P3a. Retarded adults (1 woman, 6 men, defined as a range of moderate to profound retardation) and 8 nonretarded (2 women, 6 men) adults participated. The mismatch negativity showed smaller amplitudes and greater latencies for retarded persons than those for nonretarded adults, whereas the P3a for the groups was comparable. The results may suggest malfunction of automatic auditory change-detection of the brain in mentally retarded persons.
The Tau and Anti-Tau Effects in Successively Presented Stimuli
Authors: Matsuda Fumiko , Matsuda Michihiko , Kojima Yoshiko
Published: August 2011

It was confirmed by the reproduction method with 20 adults that (a) the tau effect, i.e., the greater the temporal separation between successively presented stimuli with a constant spatial interval, the greater the apparent spatial interval, occurred, especially in the situation in which the participants were assumed to form a set easily using temporal interval as the cue for spatial interval estimation, and (b) the anti- tau effect occurred in the special situation in which the participants were assumed to form a set using speed of an imaginary movement as the cue for it. These findings supported the hypothesis of “cue-selection sets.”
Training in Lingual Awareness during Production of Isolated Syllables of English
Authors: Lohman Patricia , Fucci Donald
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this preliminary investigation was to determine the effects of training on lingual awareness during the production of isolated syllables of English. 60 subjects were selected for this investigation. They were placed into two groups of 30 individuals each. Group one (Trained) consisted of individuals who had received training in articulation and phonetics ( M age = 22.7) Group two (Untrained) consisted of individuals who had not received training in articulation and phonetics ( M age = 18.8). The subjects in the Trained group were majors in speech-language pathology The procedure involved asking subjects to imitate the production of a syllabic, then describe where the tongue was located during that production. Following this request, subjects were given four multiple-choice questions to answer regarding (a) tongue height (high to low), (b) tongue position (front to back), (c) contact with the teeth, and (d) contact with other structures within the oral cavity. Mean scores ranged from 1.87 to 3.2 (on a scale of 4.0) for the group of Trained subjects versus 1.5 to 2.4 for the Untrained subjects. The Trained subjects had significantly higher test scores on all phonemes ( p<.05) with the exception of r and sh ( p>.05). For both groups of subjects, the phonemes, r, sh, and l, were the most difficult to describe, while the phoneme t was described most accurately.
Evaluation of Sensorimotor Training in Children with Adhd
Authors: Banaschewski Tobias , Besmens Ferdinand , Zieger Henning , Rothenberger Aribert
Published: August 2011

Reduced ability to regulate motor behavior seems to be an essential aspect of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and may reflect deficits in behavioral response inhibition. In this respect, pragmatic clinical experience over the last two decades, in daily practice, training of motor control has played an important role within multimodal treatment approaches, although an adequate proof of its efficacy is still lacking. Therefore, to examine the efficacy of sensorimotor training, 12 children with ADHD (two groups of six) were treated with both sensorimotor training and (as control) cognitive behavioral training using a within-subject cross-over design. Each treatment had a duration of 4 months (20 sessions), yielding a total of 40 sessions for the completed cross-over design. Results showed that Sensorimotor Training improved sensorimotor coordination slightly, while Cognitive Behavioral Training ameliorated cognitive impulse control. Hyperactivity and anxious-depressive/aggressive behavior were markedly reduced by Sensorimotor Training but not by Cognitive Behavioral Training. In conclusion, a combined treatment may be recommended since compensation and regulation of inhibitory deficits in ADHD come into play within the framework of both kinds of training.
Adoption of Hand-Held Dynamometry
Authors: Bohannon Richard W.
Published: August 2011

Published research indicates that hand-held dynamometry, a procedure for quantifying muscle strength, has increased in application over the past 15 years. The relationship between time and the number of research papers published is curvilinear, suggesting that the technology is still in its rapid adoption stage.
Visual and Haptic Perception of the Horizontal-Vertical Illusion
Authors: Taylor Crystal Marie
Published: August 2011

The horizontal-vertical illusion consists of two lines of the same length (one horizontal and the other vertical) at a 90° angle from one another forming either an inverted-T or an L-shape. The illusion occurs when the length of a vertical line is perceived as longer than the horizontal line even though they are the same physical length. The illusion has been shown both visually and haptically. The present purpose was to assess differences between the visual or haptic perception of the illusions and also whether differences occur between the inverted-T and the L-shape illusions. The current study showed a greater effect in the haptic perception of the horizontal-vertical illusion than in visual perception. There is also greater illusory susceptibility of the inverted-T than the L-shape.
Does the Body Image Exist in Three Dimensions? The Study of Visual Mental Representation of a Body and a Nonbody Object
Authors: McCabe D. P. , Ben-Tovim D. I. , Walker M. K. , Pomeroy D.
Published: August 2011

Do the mental Images of 3-dimensional objects recreate the depth characteristics of the original objects' This investigation of the characteristics of mental images utilized a novel boundary-detection task that required participants to relate a pair of crosses to the boundary of an image mentally projected onto a computer screen. 48 female participants with body attitudes within expected normal range were asked to image their own body and a familiar object from the front and the side. When the visual mental image was derived purely from long-term memory, accuracy was better than chance for the front (64%) and side (63%) of the body and also for the front (55%) and side (68%) of the familiar nonbody object. This suggests that mental images containing depth and spatial information may be generated from information held in long-term memory. Pictorial exposure to views of the front or side of the objects was used to investigate the representations from which this 3-dimensional shape and size information is derived. The results are discussed in terms of three possible representational formats and argue that a front-view 2½-dimensional representation mediates the transfer of information from long-term memory when depth information about the body is required.
Reaction to Compton and Metheny (2000): “Assessment of Grade Inflation in Higher Education”
Authors: Bearden James , Wolfe Raymond N.
Published: August 2011

Comparison of grades awarded to all students in all courses at SUNY Geneseo in Spring 1990 and Spring 2000 shows a significant overall increase and a fairly stable pattern of grading practices across departments that resembles the pattern reported by Compton and Metheny in 2000 and other investigators.
Self-Talk in a Basketball-Shooting Task
Authors: Theodorakis Yannis , Chroni Stiliani , Laparidis Kostas , Bebetsos Vagelis , Douma Irini
Published: August 2011

This study examined the effectiveness of two different types of self-talk on the performance of a basketball-shooting task. 60 physical education and sports sciences students were organized into one control and two treatment groups which used self-talk. During the experiment, the control group performed with the general instructions, whereas the self-talk groups used the cue-words “relax” and “fast,” respectively. Analysis showed that only the participants of the self-talk group who used the word “relax” improved their performance significantly as compared to the other two groups. It appears that self-talk can positively affect performance if its content is appropriate for the task performed.
Experiences of Spiritual Visitation and Impregnation: Potential Induction by Frequency-Modulated Transients from an Adjacent Clock
Authors: Persinger M. A. , Koren S. A.
Published: August 2011

A left-handed Roman Catholic female adolescent with a history of early brain trauma reported nightly visitations by a sentient being. During one episode she experienced vibrations of the bed, an external presence along the left side that moved into her body, inner vaginal (not clitoral) and uterine sensations, and the sense of being impregnated by a force she attributed to the Holy Spirit. After the latter experience she felt an invisible baby superimposed upon her left shoulder. Analyses of the measurements for magnetic anomalies within her bedroom indicated an electric clock about 20 cm from her head while she slept. The complex form of the 4 microT magnetic pulses generated by the clock was similar to shapes that evoke electrical seizures in epileptic rats and sensitive humans.
Dual-Task Performance in Right- and Left-Handed Adults: A Finger-Tapping and Foot-Tapping Study
Authors: Fearing Marsha K. , Browning Cassandra A. , Corey David M. , Foundas Anne L.
Published: August 2011

The dual-task paradigm has been used extensively to study laterality, with concurrent verbalization interfering with right finger-tapping in right handers. Only a few studies have used this paradigm to study interference patterns in left handers and have found inconsistent results. The dual-task paradigm has not been used to study interference effects with concurrent verbalization and foot-tapping. The objective of this study was to use this paradigm to assess whether verbal interference produces different effects on finger- and foot-tapping rate for right handers as compared to left handers. 12 right-handed and 12 left-handed men were studied, each with uncrossed hand and foot dominance, i.e., all individuals were either right handed and right footed or left handed and left footed. Subjects performed finger- and foot-tapping tasks with and without verbal interference. A significant relationship was found between handedness and finger and foot-tapping rate; individuals with a stronger right-hand preference tended to tap at a higher rate on the right side and vice-versa. Analogous relationships were not found when participants were tapping and speaking concurrently. With verbal interference, both right and left handers had a significant asymmetric effect with a decremental response in right finger-tapping rate and a facilitative effect on left finger-tapping rate. In contrast, there was a bilateral decremental response in foot-tapping with verbal interference in both right and left handers. The implications of these findings are discussed with reference to cerebral laterality of language systems and to the differential organization and integration of the motor representations of the hand and the foot.
Thermal Sensitivity in Tourette Syndrome: Preliminary Report
Authors: Scahill Lawrence , Lombroso Paul J. , Mack Gary , Van Wattum Pieter J. , Zhang Heping , Vitale Amy , Leckman James F.
Published: August 2011

The effects of heat on tic symptoms were studied in a sample of 78 adults with Tourette syndrome. 62 men and 16 women completed a survey concerning the type, onset, and course of their tics. 10 adult male subjects also participated in a thermal challenge during which ambient temperature was raised from 22°C to 35°C following a control period. Of the 78, 24% or 19 reported increased tics upon exposure to heat. Compared to the remaining 59 subjects, there were no differences in sex distribution, current age, or overall course of illness. In the thermal challenge, there was general increase in tics that was correlated with sweat rate ( r = .55, p=.001). This effect was prominent in 5 of 10 subjects ( rs = .29 to .63). There were no mean differences in current age, age of onset, or current severity of symptoms between the five subjects of each group. Tic symptoms in a subgroup of patients with Tourette syndrome may be sensitive to heat. Abnormal heat regulation is not a likely explanation for the observed increase in tics. The increase may be due to normal heat-loss mechanisms through dopaminergic pathways.
Which Transformations of Stimuli are the Most Disruptive to Facial Recognition?
Authors: Metzger Mitchell M.
Published: August 2011

In the literature on face recognition, there is a considerable volume of data indicating that transforming a face between a familiarization procedure and recognition testing impairs performance. As many different types of transformations have been shown to produce this effect, it seems tempting to assume that any type of transformation can lead to this performance decrement. However, to date, there have been no systematic attempts to identify which transformations produce the most impairment in facial recognition. Therefore, an experiment was conducted in which subjects viewed facial stimuli during the familiarization phase and were then required to perform a memory test with either transformed or unaltered stimuli. The transformations examined in this experiment were a disguise (the addition of sunglasses), lateral reversal, and inversion. Results suggest that inversion produced the largest decrease in recognition, and the addition of a disguise or lateral reversal of the stimuli produced similar, but smaller, detrimental effects.
Lateral Asymmetries in Attentional Priming during a Semantic and a Visuospatial Task
Authors: Declerck Carolyn , De Brabander Bert
Published: August 2011

This study tests the hypothesis that lateral cueing of attention activates the contralateral hemisphere and also that performance on a semantic and a visuospatial task will differentially be affected depending on the visual field (right or left) to which attention was drawn. In an experimental setting, 68 subjects performed both a semantic and a visuospatial discriminating task, whereby visual priming signals unbeknownst were presented to either the left or the right visual field. For the semantic task (which is believed to engage primarily the left hemisphere) priming signals enhanced performance more when they were presented to the right visual field. For the visuospatial task, no difference was found between priming signals presented in either visual field. While there may be several alternative explanations for the observed difference in the effects of the priming signals presented to different visual fields, the importance of separating the components inherent in the tasks is stressed. While the process of decision-making may involve different relative activation of the two hemispheres, depending on whether the stimuli are semantic or visuospatial in nature, performance on the task also involves manual coordination which will depend especially on motor activation in the left hemisphere.
The Theory of Planned Behavior as Related to Intention to Exercise and Exercise Behavior
Authors: Kerner Matthew S. , Grossman Arnold H. , Kurrant Anthony B.
Published: August 2011

In a previously reported study we sought to assess the usefulness of the theory of planned behavior in explaining the exercise behavior of 73 adults enrolled in an exercise program over a 5-mo. period. The correlation between scores on Intention to Exercise and Exercise Behavior was moderate and inverse, conflicting with a primary tenet of the Theory of Planned Behavior. In this analysis of the data we sought to explain that finding by partitioning participants into groups based on a median split of their scores on Intention to Exercise and Exercise Behavior. Using the four Intention by Behavior groups as independent variables and scale scores as dependent variables, post hoc tests for Fitness Attitude showed significant differences only when High Intention conflicted with Low Intention, irrespective of Exercise Behavior. Perceived Behavioral Control showed opposite tendencies, i.e., differences were significant when High Behavior conflicted with Low Behavior, irrespective of Intention to Exercise. We conclude that Perceived Behavioral Control defines one's ultimate Exercise Behavior over a 5-mo. period while scores on Fitness Attitude define Intentions to Exercise.
Evaluation of the Specificity of Selected Dynamic Balance Tests
Authors: Tsigilis N. , Zachopoulou E. , Mavridis Th.
Published: August 2011

Many researchers have suggested that balance is not a general motor ability but rather is specific to the task which is performed. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between a laboratory test (stabilometer) for assessing dynamic balance and three field tests: the Modified Bass Test, Balance Beam Speed Test 1 (forward walking), and Balance Beam Speed Test 2 (sideward walking). In addition, associations of whole body reaction time with scores of the four tests of dynamic balance were assessed in 54 undergraduate students. Pearson coefficient of determination indicated no significant correlation between the time participants were in balance on the stabiiometer and on any of the three field tests. Body reaction time was significantly correlated with scores on the four tests. These results give further support to the specific character of dynamic balance since all tests seemed to measure different aspects.
The Use of Actigraphy Revised: The Value for Clinical Practice in Insomnia
Authors: Verbeek Ingrid , Klip Ed C. , Declerck August C.
Published: August 2011

In the last years, actigraphy has been used more often for clinical research and research evaluation of sleep disorders. Compared to polysomnography, actigraphy is cheap and less time-consuming. Actigraphy provides more objective information about sleep than sleep logs. Although the algorithms to score sleep and wake based on motions measured by actigraphy are still being improved, we believe that the role of actigraphy in the clinical evaluation of sleep in insomnia is limited. Instead of using actigraphy to distinguish a wakeful state from sleep in insomnia, we might better use the activity plots which the actigraph provides to get more insight into the physiological hyperarousal or restfulness of insomnia patients.
Relations among Age, Income, and Knowledge of Investments
Authors: Powell Larry , Amsbary Jonathan Howard
Published: August 2011

This study examined consumers' interactions with financial advisors in terms of the age and income of the respondents. The respondents were 500 residents of Florida interviewed in a random telephone survey. The dependent variables for the analysis were (1) frequency of communication, (2) knowledge, and (3) confidence in investment. No significant differences were found for frequency of interaction, but differences were identified on both knowledge and confidence in investment. Older respondents had more knowledge about investment than did younger ones, and respondents of higher income had more knowledge and more confidence in their investments than did those of lower or middle income. The results are discussed in terms of immediacy theory. Investment issues would have more immediacy for higher income respondents since they would have more money available for investment. Similarly, immediacy would be higher for older respondents since they would have more time and interest to devote to investment issues.
The Contextual Interference Effect in Acquisition of Dart-Throwing Skill Tested on a Transfer Test with Extended Trials
Authors: Meira Cassio M. , Tani Go
Published: August 2011

Previous studies of contextual interference have shown that practicing several motor skills randomly (high contextual interference) facilitates retention and transfer in comparison to practicing the same tasks in a blocked order (low contextual interference). However, many studies have not supported this phenomenon in motor learning, and some researchers have questioned whether the effect can be tested by using only a few trials on the transfer test. The present study used a different methodological approach in which the number of test trials was increased to assess whether the contextual interference effect is sustained over an extended number of trials in the transfer phase. Undergraduate students ( N = 32) were randomly allocated to either a blocked or random group. The participants practiced 80 acquisition trials in the dart-throwing task from distances of 300 cm and 420 cm, using two different grips. The transfer test after a 10-min. interval consisted of 40 trials with a new grip at a distance of 360 cm. The results did not support the contextual interference effect since there were no significant differences between groups on transfer. These findings suggest that the contextual interference effect may not be a global learning phenomenon which can be generalized to all learning situations.
Relationships of Personality Traits with Performance in Reaction Time, Psychomotor Ability, and Mental Efficiency during a 31-Day Simulated Climb of Mount Everest in a Hypobaric Chamber
Authors: Bolmont Benoît , Bouquet Cédric , Thullier Francine
Published: August 2011

Exposure to chronic hypoxia induces behavioral and mood disturbances and alterations in cognitive functions. We examined the relationships of personality traits, including trait-anxiety, with performance in binary visual reaction time, psychomotor ability, and mental efficiency, using the psychological database of the ‘Everest-Comex 97’ experiment, which consisted in a 31-day simulated climb in a hypobaric chamber from sea level to 8,848 m altitude. Analysis yielded a significant positive correlation between the climbers' mean reaction time at hypoxic conditions and preclimb scores on trait-anxiety (as assessed by Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and further significant negative correlations with both Factor A (reserved-outgoing) and Factor G (expedient-conscientious) of the Cattell Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. In contrast, no significant correlation was found between the climbers' mean psychomotor performance and mental efficiency with personality traits, including anxiety. These findings agree with those of previous studies: (i) anxiety could mediate stimulus-response tasks but not more complex tasks requiring strategic processes, (ii) individuals with personality traits such as ‘reserved’ and ‘expedient’ could have slight advantages in processing information on stimulus-response tasks. Limitations in study design are also discussed.
Behavioral Laterality Drawn in Self-Images
Authors: Kinoshita Masanari
Published: August 2011

429 participants including elementary school children and high school students drew three pictures of themselves doing habitual actions: brushing the teeth, using chopsticks, and throwing a ball. Whether the hand used in the pictures corresponded to the actual preferred hand was assessed. Analyzing the drawings of 396 participants who stated a right-hand preference, the sex difference was significant as were changes across ages (grades). The number and percentage of the drawings of real images (corresponding to the actual preferred hand) were larger for boys than for girls and increased across grades. Girls and younger participants tended to draw mirror-image figures of their own actions.
Gross and Fine Motor Skills of Left-Handed Preschool Children
Authors: Giagazoglou Paraskevi , Fotiadou Eleni , Angelopoulou Nickoletta , Tsikoulas John , Tsimaras Vassilis
Published: August 2011

From a population of 765 preschool children 4–6 years old, 31 children (4.1%) were identified as left-handers. Using the two motor subscales A (gross motor) and D (fine motor) of the Griffiths Test No. II, these children were compared with 31 right-handers, matched for age, sex, and preschool attended. Right-handed children received higher quotients than left-handed on both Griffiths' subscales, with a significant difference only on Scale D. However, the differences between right- and left-handed children arose from the poorer performance of left-handed boys on fine motor tasks (Scale D). These differences could be responsible for learning difficulties that left-handed children face later at school. Such difficulties should be identified as early as possible to facilitate psychoeducational intervention in preschool programs.
Relationship between Discrimination Tasks of the Cantab and the Corpus Callosum Morphology in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Dorion Agnès A. , Duyme Michel , Dubois Bruno , Zanca Michel , Beau Jacques
Published: August 2011

The relationship between performances on a simple discrimination task of the Attentional Set Shifting of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and morphometry of the corpus callosum is examined in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Analysis showed patients with probable Alzheimer's disease are heterogeneous for the relationship between performances in the attentional test of the CANTAB and the anterior callosal atrophies. Interest in these results for clinical diagnosis of this mental disease is discussed.
Repeatability of Choku-Tsuki and Oi-Tsuki in Shotokan Karate: A 3-Dimensional Analysis with Thirteen Black-Belt Karateka
Authors: Sforza Chiarella , Turci Michela , Grassi Gian Piero , Fragnito Nicola , Serrao Graziano , Ferrario Virgilio F.
Published: August 2011

13 black-belt karateka performed two different standardized counter-offensive techniques. The trajectories of selected body landmarks were studied by using a computerized image analyzer that allows a 3-dimensional reconstruction of standardized movements. The repeatability of both karate techniques was quantified for each participant. Analysis confirmed that more experienced karateka obtained the best repeatability, as already demonstrated in a preliminary study conducted with a smaller sample of less experienced participants.
A Preliminary Study of Mental and Physical Practice on the Kayak Wet Exit Skill
Authors: Millard Marie , Mahoney Craig , Wardrop Jeanette
Published: August 2011

Outdoor activities and high-risk water sports often create anxiety in participants who feel concern about danger. Relaxation and imagery, often used to enhance training, can improve performance of skills in a variety of sports. The aim of this study was to establish whether Mental Practice, Physical Practice, Combined Mental and Physical Practice, or No Practice would affect the acquisition of skill for a kayak wet exit. 60 postprimary girls aged 11–16 yr., competent swimmers but without previous experience in kayaking, gave their informed consent to be in the study. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of the four experimental groups. Following their practice periods, each group performed three kayak wet exit attempts (unseen by others); these were videotaped for later analysis by an observer. The participant and an independent observer, who was blind to the allocation of practice group, then used a 6-point rating scale to assess each performance. Participants' and the observer's ratings were analysed by separate Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance which indicated a significant practice effect. Subsequent chi-squared tests indicated significantly different distributions of groups, showing Physical Practice superior to No Practice and Mental Practice. While physical practice remained effective in improving technique, combinations of mental and physical practice were better than no practice.
How Close is Too Close? A Comparison of Proxemic Reactions of Singaporean Chinese to Male Intruders of Four Ethnicities
Authors: Li Shu
Published: August 2011

Cultural and ethnic influence on proxemic behavior and invasions of personal space were investigated. 173 Chinese Singaporean undergraduates rated minimum interpersonal distance for perceived male intruders from four ethnic groups in Singapore—Malay, Indian, Chinese, and Caucasian. Rated distance scores ranked from “most distant” Indian-Chinese dyads decreasing (in order of minimum distance) through Malay-Chinese, Caucasian-Chinese, and Chinese-Chinese dyads, independent of sex.
Comparison of Teaching Methods to Learn a Tilt and Balance Wheelchair Skill
Authors: Bullard S. , Miller S. E.
Published: August 2011

Often service professionals working with individuals who use wheelchairs find themselves inadequately prepared to give hands-on or verbal assistance in wheelchair maneuverability skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of two methods of teaching a tilt and balance wheelchair skill, evaluated by using an obstacle course. Subjects were 30 volunteers, having no past wheelchair experience. The Instruction group viewed an instructional video followed by structured wheelchair practice. The Instruction plus Biomechanics group experienced these same interventions and received a biomechanical explanation of the wheelchair skill. The Control group received no instruction but did receive additional practice time in a wheelchair. It was hypothesized that the first two groups would improve their maneuverability in the wheelchair over the Control group. A 2-way analysis of variance, with main effects for groups followed by a Tukey post hoc test, indicated that the two instruction groups had significantly better times on the obstacle course, demonstrating better maneuverability skills than the Control group. The repeated-measures portion of the analysis of variance showed the main effect for improving time from the pretest to posttest significant for all groups with the instruction groups improving times by 30 sec. over that of the Control group. The retention test was not significantly different from the posttest, and there were no significant interactions. Results indicated a need for wheelchair users to be taught maneuverability skills systematically.
Stage of Exercise Change Model and Attitudes toward Exercise in Older Adults
Authors: Rich Shelley C. , Rogers Michael E.
Published: August 2011

This study examined the attitudes toward exercise held by older adults within different stages of the exercise change model for the purpose of aiding health professionals in developing effective approaches that engage older adults in physical activity. Men and women ( n = 116) between the ages of 60 and 93 years (73.9 ±6.6) completed a questionnaire used to categorize them into one of five stages of exercise change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Participants also completed a questionnaire to assess four attitude factors related to exercise: tension release, health promotion, vigorous exercise, and social benefits. The active older adults in this study reported positive attitudes toward exercising for health benefits, social interaction, and tension release. Of these, the health benefits of exercise appear to be the most important factor in their participation in exercise. Therefore, programs designed to engage older adults in regular physical activity should promote positive attitudes toward exercise, especially regarding the health-related aspects of exercise.
Further Consideration of Size Illusions in Random Dot Stereograms
Authors: Greene Ernest , Gentner Steven
Published: August 2011

It has been suggested that many geometric illusions are caused by the application of depth or size-constancy rules to an image which does not have sufficient cues to establish that the elements lie in a flat plane. Thus, converging lines are taken as depth cues, and the attributed depth provides the basis for adjusting the perceived size of stimulus elements. If this is the case, one should not see a distortion of relative size if the disparity cues provide for strong stratification, i.e., localization in depth, of the linear perspective cues. This expectation is challenged by demonstrations that show distortions of relative size using random-dot stereograms. In 1971 Julesz provided such examples but did not comment on the implications for theories of depth. Here we redemonstrate these distortions of length and size in autostereograms which contain the Ponzo and Corridor configurations. The illusory distortions can be seen in the cyclopean view even though the linear perspective elements are well stratified. We suggest that the processing of binocular disparity cues, as required for judgments of absolute distance, may involve the dorsal stream of vision, i.e., activity passing into and including the parietal lobe. Pictorial cues, on the other hand, are likely passed through the ventral stream into the temporal lobe. The analysis of depth by this system provides for size constancy and, possibly, the calibration of relative motion.