bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Measure of Perceived Motor Competence for Children Ages 4 to 6 Years
Authors: Pérez Luis Miguel Ruiz , Sanz José Luis Graupera
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a test for the assessment of perceived motor competence in young children ages 4 to 6 years old. The structure of the Children's Perception of Motor Competence Scale was analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with 495 children between 4 and 6 years of age. A second-order model was selected and consisted of one scale of Perceived General Motor Competence and two subscales, Perceived Gross Motor Competence and Perceived Fine Motor Competence. The number of items was 22. This test showed acceptable internal reliability: global scale (α = .81), Perceived Gross Motor Competence (α = .80), and Perceived Fine Motor Competence (α = .65). Children manifested accuracy in the assessment of the competence. Perceived motor competence was related to actual motor competence as measured by the Movement ABC Test and by an observational scale used by Physical Education teachers. There were no sex differences. The Children's Perception of Motor Competence Scale could be considered an interesting assessment test for identifying current self-perceptions of motor competence in young children.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Greek Physical Self-Description Questionniare
Authors: Tsorbatzoudis Haralambos
Published: September 2010

To estimate the psychometric properties of the Physical Self-description Questionnaire for deaf high school students, a Greek version was administered to 125 deaf soccer layers and 108 nonexercisers. Confirmatory factor analysis showed adequate factorial structure for the original 11-factor model. Internal consistency and temporal stability were satisfactory for this sample. Also, the construct, discriminant, and predictive validity indices were adequate. These findings supported the use of the Greek version of the Physical Self-description Questionnaire for the assessment of the self-concept of deaf high school students.
Estimating Curvature of Nondifferentiable Functions and Complex Shape Contours
Authors: Schwartz Noah
Published: September 2010

Salvadori and Luccio demonstrated that, for the purpose of psychophysical analysis, the curvature of a point on a continuous single-valued function can be quantified as the inverse ray of the circle osculating the function at the point of interest. While this method is mathematically sound, it does not allow for estimation of curvature in complex shapes containing discontinuities and irregularities such as sharp corners, closed contours, or line intersections—features that commonly occur in normal visual experience. In this paper, a simple modification of this algorithm is presented which overcomes these limitations by using discrete rather than continuous contour sampling, thereby allowing estimation of curvature for a wider variety of shape contours.
Experimental Pain Thresholds Influenced by Sex of Experimenter
Authors: Gijsbers K. , Nicholson F.
Published: September 2010

Thresholds for pressure pain were tested in 64 adult human subjects (age: M = 22.0 yr., SD = 7.5). The subjects were young adults drawn from a student population. They were divided into two groups of men and two groups of women, with 16 participants in each group. A female experimenter tested one group of men and a male experimenter tested the other group. The women were tested in a similar way by an experimenter of the same sex for one group and the opposite sex for the other group. The two experimenters were dressed in a manner that emphasised their gender roles. The men tested by a female experimenter showed a higher average pain threshold than the men tested by a male experimenter, but there was no difference in the average pain thresholds of the two groups of women.
Visual Perception of Surface Wrinkles
Authors: Fan Jintu , Liu Fu
Published: September 2010

To study the relationship between visual perception of magnitude of wrinkles and geometrical parameters of surfaces, four potentially relevant parameters of the surface profile were considered: the variance (σ2), the cutting frequency ( F c), the effective disparity curvature ( D ce) of the wrinkled surface over the eyeball distance of the observer, and the frequency component of the disparity curvature ( D cf). Analysis of garment seams with varying amount of pucker showed that, while the logarithm for each of these four parameters has a strong linear relationship with the visually perceived magnitude of wrinkles, following the Fechner Law, the effective disparity curvature ( D ce) and the frequency component of the disparity curvature ( D cf) with visual perception appeared stronger. This modeling may be an objective method for measuring magnitude of surface wrinkles.
A Writing Program with Word Prediction for a Young Man with Multiple Disabilities: A Preliminary Assessment
Authors: Antonucci M. , Lancioni G. E. , O'Reilly M. F. , Oliva D. , Singh N. N. , Sigafoos J. , Bosco A.
Published: September 2010

This study assessed a writing program with word prediction, which completed the writing of a word and spoke it out only when there was certainty that such a word was the correct one. The assessment was carried out with a young man with multiple disabilities, who typically used a word-processing program without word prediction. The two programs were compared on the time required by the participant for writing general sentences, through a social validation assessment, and eventually a check on the participant's preference. Analysis showed the program with word prediction was significantly more effective in terms of the writing time, which was halved, and was deemed preferable by 40 raters (psychology students) involved in the social validation assessment and by the participant himself. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Multidimensional Voice Program Analysis in Profoundly Deaf Children: Quantifying Frequency and Amplitude Control
Authors: Campisi Paolo , Low Aaron J. , Papsin Blake C. , Mount Richard J. , Harrison Robert V.
Published: September 2010

Characterization of the vocal profile of profoundly deaf children using an objective voice analysis was carried out in a university-based pediatric otolaryngology clinic. 21 persons ages 3.5 to 18 years were assessed. From each sustained phonation of the vowel /a/ the following acoustic variables were extracted: fundamental frequency (F0), jitter percentage, shimmer percentage, fundamental frequency variation (vF0), peak amplitude variation (vAM), and first, second, and third formant frequencies (F1, F2, F3). Mean F0 was 267.8 Hz and consistent with established normative data. Mean measurements of jitter (0.88%) and shimmer (3.5%) were also within normal limits. The notable feature of the acoustic analysis was a statistically significant elevation in vF0 (2.81%) and vAM (23.58%). With the exception of one subject, the F1, F2, and F3 formant frequencies were comparable to those for normal hearing children. Auditory deprivation results in poor long-term control of frequency and amplitude during sustained phonation. The inability to maintain a sustained phonation may represent the partial collapse of an internal model of voice and speech.
Girls' Soccer Performance and Motivation: Games vs Technique Approach
Authors: Chatzopoulos Dimitris , Drakou Amalia , Kotzamanidou Marina , Tsorbatzoudis Haralambos
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Technique and Games approaches on girls' soccer performance and motivation. The Technique approach focuses on technique instruction using drills, whereas the Games approach places emphasis on tactic instruction with modified games. 37 girls, 12 to 13 years old, were taught 15 soccer lessons by the Technique approach and 35 girls by the Games approach. At the beginning and at the end of the research soccer matches were videotaped and evaluated by Oslin, Mitchell, and Griffin's Game Performance Assessment Instrument. Girls' motivation was assessed on the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory. The Games group had significantly better scores after training on tactical behaviour and intrinsic motivation than the Technique group. There were no significant differences in skill execution between groups trained under the two approaches. Considering the importance of intrinsic motivation for a lifelong, physically active lifestyle, researchers could focus study on the approaches and girls' motivation.
Children's Developing Ability to Depict Emotions in Their Drawings
Authors: Bonoti F. , Misailidi P.
Published: September 2010

55 children aged 5 to 9 years were asked to draw pictures depicting happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, and fear as well as pictures that did not express any emotion. These pictures were then scored by nonexpert adults for their overall emotional expressiveness, that is, how well they depicted the intended emotion. The results showed that drawings were generally regarded by adults as emotionally expressive. Happiness was the emotion most easily recognized in children's drawings, closely followed by sadness. The results also showed a linear increase in ratings of emotional expressiveness with age.
Optimal Pedaling Rate in Bicycle Ergometer Exercise Determined by Probe Reaction Time
Authors: Huo Ming , Maruyama Hitoshi , Liu Huilin
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this study was to obtain the optimal pedaling rate in bicycle ergometer exercise by measuring probe reaction time, which is a good indicator of attention demand, by changing workloads and pedaling rates, and to discuss the relevant rhythm of lower limb movement. Subjects were 19 healthy men whose M age was 22.8 yr. They were instructed to pedal a bicycle ergometer, and their reaction time at different workloads and pedaling rates was measured to estimate an optimal pedaling rate. Probe reaction time was measured under the conditions as follows: pedaling rate of 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 rpm at each workload of 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 watts. The estimated values obtained by regression analysis for pedaling rate to give the minimum probe reaction time were 63.5 rpm for 40 watts, 58.8 rpm for 60 watts, 61.3 rpm for 80 watts, 63.4 rpm for 100 watts, and 64.8 rpm for 120 watts. These results indicated that the optimal pedaling rate was approximately 60 rpm regardless of the workload.
Door-in-the-Face Technique and Monetary Solicitation: An Evaluation in a Field Setting
Authors: Pascual Alexandre , Gueguen Nicolas
Published: September 2010

To test the door-in-the-face technique for a private solicitation, 53 men and 37 women in several bars were engaged. In one condition, a female confederate asked the subject to buy her drink because her boyfriend had left without paying the bill. After the subject refused, the confederate requested only 2 or 3 coins. In the control condition, the latter request was the only one. Analysis showed a dramatic increase in compliance for the door-in-the-face condition. A positive effect of the door-in-the-face technique was also observed for the average amount of the donation. The accentuation of the solicitor's dependency in the door-in-the-face condition seemed relevant for explanation.
Short-Duration, High-Intensity Exercise and Performance of a Sports-Specific Skill: A Preliminary Study
Authors: McMorris Terry , Rayment Tom
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of one bout and three intermittent bouts of short-duration, high-intensity running on the performance of a sports-specific psychomotor skill. Participants ( N = 13) were male soccer players ( M age 20.5 yr., SD = 2.0) who had been playing semi-professionally for M = 2.1 years, SD = 1.11 and trained twice a week. They undertook a soccer-passing test in three conditions: following rest, following a 100-m sprint and following 3 × 100-m sprints, with 30-sec. rest intervals between sprints. Passing accuracy showed a significant linear deterioration, while number of passes showed a significant quadratic effect. Low to moderate linear regression correlations were found between posttest heart rate and absolute and variable errors on the test. It was concluded that short-duration, high-intensity exercise has a negative effect on accuracy in a sports-specific task that requires both perceptual judgment and motor control.
Are Hook Turns a Major Obstacle to Safe Skydiving? A Study of Skydiving Fatalities in the United States from 1992 to 2005
Authors: Vidovic Martina , Rugai Nick
Published: September 2010

Landing errors account for most of the skydiving fatalities today in more experienced skydivers. The United States Parachute Association (USPA) states that this is due to a new generation of parachutes with higher wing loading. Using data on fatalities from 1992 to 2005 as reported by the USPA, hook turns were found to be a major cause of death but not significantly associated with higher wing loading. Fatalities caused by not having a functional parachute have decreased over the years, possibly due to introduction and widespread use of safety devices.
Strength and Reversibility of Stereotypes for a Rotary Control with Linear Scales
Authors: Chan Alan H. S. , Chan W. H.
Published: September 2010

Using real mechanical controls, this experiment studied strength and reversibility of direction-of-motion stereotypes and response times for a rotary control with horizontal and vertical scales. Thirty-eight engineering undergraduates (34 men and 4 women) ages 23 to 47 years ( M = 29.8, SD = 7.7) took part in the experiment voluntarily. The effects of instruction of change of pointer position and control plane on movement compatibility were analyzed with precise quantitative measures of strength and a reversibility index of stereotype. Comparisons of the strength and reversibility values of these two configurations with those of rotary control-circular display, rotary control-digital counter, four-way lever-circular display, and four-way lever-digital counter were made. The results of this study provided significant implications for the industrial design of control panels for improved human performance.
Effects of Increasing and Decreasing Intratrial Stimulus Speed on Coincidence-Anticipation Timing
Authors: Millslagle Duane G.
Published: September 2010

The effects of intratrial stimulus speeds on coincidence-anticipation timing was investigated. The Bassin Anticipation Timer was used to test 82 participants' response times when the intratrial stimulus speed decreased, was constant, or increased. Analysis showed a significant temporal directional bias with increased and decreased intratrial speed. Decreasing intratrial stimulus speed produced the greatest magnitude of error compared to constant and increasing speeds. Differences in response times associated with intratrial stimulus-speed changes may depend on participants' identifying stimulus speeds and preprogramming a coincident response.
Win-Shift, Lose-Stay: Contingent Switching and Contextual Interference in Motor Learning
Authors: Simon Dominic A. , Lee Timothy D. , Cullen John D.
Published: September 2010

Learners ( n = 48) practiced three multisegment movements with distinct target movement times. Four practice groups were compared: blocked, random, and two groups who had a win-shift/lose-stay schedule (WSLS1 and WSLS2). For these latter groups switching between practice tasks was performance-contingent: within 5% of target time for 1 or 2 consecutive trials, respectively. During acquisition, blocked performance was more accurate than for both random and WSLS2 groups. The WSLS1 group performed between blocked and random groups, but did not differ from either. In a next-day retention test, the random group scored better than the blocked group. The WSLS1 group performed similarly to the random practice while the WSLS2 group's scores were similar to those of the blocked group. Results encourage further study of similar practice schedules.
Engaging Moral Development and Reasoning in Physical Education Classes: Comment on Mouratidou, et al.
Authors: Chovan William
Published: September 2010

Attention is given the importance of an efficacious learning contest for promoting moral development and reasoning and awareness of risks associated with confounding variables, with special focus on confusing correlation with causation and physical education classes and educational settings with programs.
Observational Learning of Fly Casting Using Traditional and Virtual Modeling with and without Authority Figure
Authors: Kernodle Michael W. , McKethan Robert N. , Rabinowitz Erik
Published: September 2010

Traditional and virtual modeling were compared during learning of a multiple degree-of-freedom skill (fly casting) to assess the effect of the presence or absence of an authority figure on observational learning via virtual modeling. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: Virtual Modeling with an authority figure present (VM-A) ( n = 16), Virtual Modeling without an authority figure (VM-NA) ( n = 16), Traditional Instruction ( n = 17), and Control ( n = 19). Results showed significant between-group differences on Form and Skill Acquisition scores. Except for one instance, all three learning procedures resulted in significant learning of fly casting. Virtual modeling with or without an authority figure present was as effective as traditional instruction; however, learning without an authority figure was less effective with regard to Accuracy scores.
Assessment of English Letters' Legibility Using Image Descriptors
Authors: Cai Dengchuan , Chi Chia-Fen , You Manlai
Published: September 2010

The study derived seven descriptors from the pixel matrices of both the uppercase and lowercase forms of the 26 letters in the English alphabet in the regular and italic versions of the most commonly used font. Times New Roman. A factor analysis of the seven descriptors showed that a two-factor solution of letter width and height explained 76.6% of the variance. Legibility threshold of the 26 letters in the regular and italic Times Roman font and in two-case forms were collected to specify effects of letter width and height. 20 university students, 10 women and 10 men, with a mean age of 24.1 yr, ( SD = 1.6) participated. They identified letters displayed initially on a PC screen at a minimum font size and enlarged gradually until the participant correctly recognized the letter. Analysis showed letters of greater width or height were more legible than those of smaller width or height. Given an oblique effect, letters in the italic Times Roman font had significantly greater width but were less legible than those in the regular font.
A New Scale for Measuring Insomnia: The Bergen Insomnia Scale
Authors: Pallesen Stäle , Bjorvatn Bjørn , Nordhus Inger Hilde , Sivertsen Børge , Hjørnevik Mari , Morin Charles M.
Published: September 2010

A new scale for the measurement of insomnia, the Bergen Insomnia Scale, was constructed on the basis of current formal and clinical diagnostic criteria for insomnia. There are six items, of which the first three pertain to sleep onset, maintenance, and early morning wakening insomnia, respectively. The last three items refer to not feeling adequately rested, experiencing daytime impairment, and being dissatisfied with current sleep. This scale was validated in three samples, 320 students, 2,645 community persons, and 225 patients. Cronbach alphas in the three samples were .79, .87, and .80, respectively. The 2-wk. test-retest reliability for students was .77. In the student and the patient samples, a two-factor solution was found, nocturnal symptoms and daytime symptoms, but in the community sample, a one-factor solution was found. The Bergen Insomnia Scale discriminated well between the patient sample and the other two. In all three, values of convergent and discriminative validity in relation to other self-report measures were good, as well as in relation to polysomnographic data for patients. It is concluded that the Bergen Insomnia Scale has good psychometric properties. It is one of very few insomnia scales which provide normative data for comparisons and which has been validated against subjective as well as polysomnographic data.
Injury and Burnout in Australian Athletes
Authors: Grylls Elizabeth , Spittle Michael
Published: September 2010

The relationship between injury and burnout in a sample of 264 local to international Australian athletes (124 men and 140 women) was studied. Injury can be a stressful experience for athletes; coupled with the demands of rehabilitation, it could increase feelings of burnout. Experiencing more than one injury could have a cumulative effect on feelings of burnout. Alternatively, for some athletes the break from training or competing caused by an injury could alleviate burnout symptoms. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and a modified version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Independent sample t tests indicated that currently injured athletes ( n = 150) had significantly lower mean Burnout scores than currently uninjured athletes ( n = 113). Small, but statistically significant, positive correlations were found between number of injuries and Burnout scores. Possible explanations are that injury provides a temporary break from intense sporting involvement and, thus, lower scores on Burnout, but multiple injuries might have a cumulative effect on burnout.
Handedness Correlates with Actigraphically Measured Sleep in a Controlled Environment
Authors: Killgore William D. S. , Lipizzi Erica L. , Grugle Nancy L. , Killgore Desiree B. , Balkin Thomas J.
Published: September 2010

The relationship between hand preference and duration of sleep was assessed in 40 healthy subjects using self-report estimates, sleep diaries, and wrist activity monitors during an uncontrolled 7-day at-home phase and during a controlled overnight stay in a sleep laboratory. Handedness was unrelated to any index of sleep duration when assessed in the unregulated home environment. In the controlled environment of the laboratory, however, greater right-hand dominance was positively correlated with more minutes of obtained sleep and greater sleep efficiency. Findings were consistent with previous reports which suggest measures of brain lateralization may be related to sleep and health but further suggest that these relationships may be easily obscured by extraneous environmental factors when assessed in an uncontrolled setting.
An Instance of Reduced Center of Mass Displacement: The Ba Gua Zhang Walking Gait
Authors: Chong Raymond K. Y. , Chiu Fung-Chow Alex , Lee Kyoung-Hyun , Do Manh-Cuong
Published: September 2010

The Ba Gua Zhang walking gait was examined in an accomplished practitioner to test the hypothesis that reducing the vertical oscillation of the body center of mass (CoM) conserves energy. Compared to typical walking, center-of-mass displacement and peak vertical ground reaction force decreased during Ba Gua Zhang walking. Muscle activity in the lower extremities and lower back, however, increased. The results failed to support the concept of decreasing CoM oscillations to increase efficiency.
Attitudes of Police toward Suicide: East Coast versus West Coast
Authors: Ramos Orlando , Lester David
Published: September 2010

A study of attitudes toward suicide in 150 police officers identified few differences by age or sex, but the 75 officers on the west coast showed more negative attitudes toward suicide than did the 75 officers on the east coast, and were less inclined to view suicide as an option for themselves.
Effect of a Small Dose of Alcohol on Driving-Related Behavior of Japanese Who Self-Reported Facial Flush and Nonflushing
Authors: Fujita Goro , Nishida Yasushi
Published: September 2010

About half of northeastern Asians lack ALDH2 (Acetaldehyde Dehydrogenase 2), an enzyme involved in alcohol metabolism. People with deficient ALDH2 often experience facial flushing after drinking a small dose of alcohol. The present study examined the effect of a small dose of alcohol on driving-related behavior of northeastern Asians (Japanese). Participants were 9 Japanese flushers and 12 Japanese nonflushers. They were evaluated using a driving simulator and self-report of intoxication after ingesting 0.6g/kg or 0.4g/kg of alcohol or a placebo. Facial flushers were more likely to experience subjective feelings of intoxication than were nonflushers. There were no significant differences between facial flushers and nonflushers in blood alcohol concentration and choice reaction time to visual stimuli. Despite having different subjective feelings of intoxication, facial flushers and nonflushers were equally impaired after having ingested equal amounts of alcohol per body weight.
Meditative States Based on Yoga Texts and Their Effects on Performance of a Letter-Cancellation Task
Authors: Kumar Sanjay , Telles Shirley
Published: September 2010

Performance in a six-letter cancellation task was studied in 35 male experienced meditators with experience ranging from 6 to 12 months. Each participant was studied in four sessions, two Meditation and two Control sessions. The Control sessions were (i) Cancalata or nontargeted thinking and (ii) Ekagrata or focusing on a single topic, in this case, meditation. The Meditation sessions were (i) Dharana or focusing on the symbol “OM” and (ii) Dhyana or an effortless single-thought (of OM) state. Ekagrata and dharana differ in that the former involves focusing with multiple thoughts whereas the latter involves focusing with a single thought, i.e., the significance of OM. The net scores on the six-letter cancellation task were significantly higher after a session of Dharana and lower after the Cancalata session, while there was no significant change after Ekagrata and Dhyana sessions. Focusing on the symbol OM in Dharana may favorably influence selective attention, concentration, visual scanning abilities, and a repetitive motor response compared to other sessions.
The Defense Mechanism Test–Separation Theme in Two Anxiety Disorders
Authors: Saya Anna , Pezzarossa Bianca , Rubino I. Alex
Published: September 2010

Two groups of 26 age- and sex-matched outpatients, with DSM–IV diagnoses of obsessive–compulsive disorder and panic disorder with agoraphobia, were compared on the Defense Mechanism Test–Separation Theme. A stimulus portraying a mother figure who is leaving a room where a baby lies alone on the floor was presented 22 times at increasing exposure durations in a single-view tachistoscope. Participants were asked to describe what they perceived at each step, according to the method of the Defense Mechanism Test. As predicted, reports of the mother seen as an inanimate object (phobic repression) were statistically significantly associated with agoraphobia, while reports of the mother entering the room or doing something other than leaving the baby (reaction formation) and reports of the baby as an angel (intellectualization) were associated with obsessive–compulsive disorder.
Binocular Perception of an Abstract Multicolored Display through One Red-Filtered Eye and One Green-Filtered Eye
Authors: Kunzendorf Robert G.
Published: September 2010

When 17 participants identified the colors in Moutoussis and Zeki's 2000 “Mondrian” display through monocular red and green filters of narrow bandwidth, 98.4% of the colors were identified as the same hue when viewed by both eyes and by one of the two eyes, and the other 1.6% were identified as adjacent hues. Notably, for 11 participants, some reddish patches observed through the red-filtered eye and some greenish patches observed through the green-filtered eye were binocularly experienced as belonging to the “Mondrian” display as a multicolored whole. Such findings call into question Moutoussis and Zeki's conclusion that the binocularly experienced colors of the “Mondrian” display are cortically generated following the synthesis of monocular information. These findings suggest, instead, that the binocularly experienced patches of color are pieced together from some patches of color generated by the red-filtered eye and other patches of color generated by the green-filtered eye.
Correlation between the Bicycle Drawing Task and Neuropsychological Variables in Patients Referred for a Dementia Evaluation
Authors: Schmitt Andrew L. , Livingston Ronald B. , Galusha Jeanine M. , Davis Kent M.
Published: September 2010

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between the Bicycle Drawing Task and a number of neuropsychological variables, including the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, in a heterogeneous group of older adults referred for a dementia evaluation. The sample consisted of 91 participants with a mean age of 77.0 yr. ( SD = 6.4). The correlations between scores on the Bicycle Drawing Task and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status and supplemental cognitive measures were generally in the moderate range. The Bicycle Drawing Task was not significantly related to premorbid IQ or education. As a neuropsychological measure, the task is brief, easily explained, easily scored, and well-tolerated by patients. Results suggest the Bicycle Drawing Task may be a useful screening procedure for cognitive impairment that is not significantly related to education or premorbid ability.
Discriminant Validity of the Visual Motor Integration Test in Screening Children with Handwriting Dysfunction
Authors: Chang Shao-Hsia , Yu Nan-Ying
Published: September 2010

To examine the discriminant validity of the Visual Motor Integration test in screening children with handwriting dysfunction, 599 children in Grade 2, including 41 children with handwriting dysfunction identified by their teachers and 558 typically developing children, were assessed. The Visual Motor Integration test, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.894), showed high accuracy regarding screening purposes. Judging from the values for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, hit rate, Youden's index, and odds ratio, a standard score of 85 was the best cutoff point for screening children for handwriting dysfunction.
Relations among School Students' Self-Determined Motivation Perceived Enjoyment, Effort, and Physical Activity Behaviors
Authors: Zhang Tao
Published: September 2010

Guided by the self-determination theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the predictive strength of self-determined motivation toward motivational outcomes (perceived enjoyment, perceived effort, physical activity behaviors) for 286 middle school students in physical education. Analyses indicated that intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, and introjected regulation were positively related to students' enjoyment, perceived effort, and physical activity, whereas amotivation was negatively associated with students' enjoyment and perceived effort. The findings highlighted the importance of higher self-determined motivation (intrinsic motivation and identified regulation) in students' perceived enjoyment, effort, and physical activity behaviors. This study supports the use of self-determination theory to investigate students' motivational outcomes in school physical education.
Blind Choice
Authors: Tarasenko Sergey S. , Inui Toshio
Published: September 2010

Previous studies of choice from identical options highlight the important phenomenon of qualitative bias in the selection frequencies. Most recently, this bias was estimated numerically and appeared to be deeply related to the Golden Ratio, which has been important in the history of psychology. In this study, a unified approach capable of modeling choices from identical options was brought. First, certain similarities found across a number of options are identified. Second, a possible theoretical model was considered by testing model of choices from two options developed by Lefebvre. Recent analysis suggested a way to extend Lefebvre's bipolar model for more than two options.
Sport Orientation and Athletic Identity of Greek Wheelchair Basketball Players
Authors: Kokaridas Dimitrios , Perkos Stefanos , Harbalis Thomas , Koltsidas Evaggelos
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine sport orientation and athletic identity of Greek wheelchair basketball players. The sample consisted of 50 male wheelchair basketball players all coming from different teams participating at the Greek National Championship. Thirty-three ( n =33) participants had acquired disabilities, and 17 ( n = 17) participants had congenital disabilities. The years of training of the participants ranged from 1 to 22 years. All subjects completed the Sport Orientation Questionnaire, with factors of competitiveness, goal orientation, and win orientation, and the Athletic Orientation Questionnaire which assesses personal identity, social identity, exclusivity, and negative effect. The study indicated satisfactory internal consistency for the questionnaires' factors. Furthermore, players with congenital disabilities appeared more win-oriented and focused on specific goals and with stronger self-perception of their athletic role compared to players with acquired disabilities.
Responses in a Manual Tracking and Visual Detection Task
Authors: Liu Chau-Chyun , Doong Ji-Liang , Lin Chih-Yung , Lai Ching-Huei , Jeng Ming-Chang , Hwang Jiun-Ren
Published: September 2010

To investigate interference between the sustained and occasional attention required in driving, performance of 36 participants engaged in a focal manual tracking task and a peripheral detection task, representing sustained and occasional attention, respectively, was studied. Error ratio, tracking distance, tracking speed, and root mean squared tracking distance error were taken for manual tracking, and response times were measured on the detection task. Analysis indicated that multiple tasks or highly sustained attentional demands preceded lower performance on sustained attention tasks. Performance on occasional attention tasks after multiple tasks may also decrease, but occasional attention performance improved when the participants were engaged concurrently in a task involving higher sustained attention. Furthermore, the association between sustained and occasional attention was strengthened as the number of tasks or the demands of sustained attention increased.
Effect of a Yoga Practice Session and a Yoga Theory Session on State Anxiety
Authors: Telles Shirley , Gaur Vaishali , Balkrishna Acharya
Published: September 2010

Yoga techniques practiced for varying durations have been shown to reduce state anxiety. In this study, there were 300 naïve-to-yoga persons of both sexes who were attending a yoga therapy center in north India for stress relief as day visitors and were not residing at the center. They were assigned to two groups, yoga practice and yoga theory, and their state anxiety was assessed before and after a 2-hr. yoga session. A significant reduction in scores on state anxiety was found in the yoga practice group (14.7% decrease), as well as in the yoga theory group (3.4% decrease). The difference in scores following the sessions was statistically significant. Hence, yoga practice as well as learning about theoretical aspects of yoga appear to reduce state anxiety, with a greater reduction following yoga practice.
Predictors of Exercise-Induced Mood Change during a 6-Month Exercise and Nutrition Education Program with Obese Women
Authors: Annesi James J.
Published: September 2010

Obese women ( N = 107) enrolled in a YMCA-based exercise and nutrition information program completed rating scales of satisfaction with one's body, self-efficacy related to exercise, physical self-concept, and overall mood, at baseline and at Week 24. Percent of exercise session attendance was also calculated. Multiple regression analysis, with entry of score changes in Body Areas Satisfaction, Exercise Self-efficacy and Physical Self-concept as predictors of change in Total Mood Disturbance, was significant ( R2 = .41, p < .001). Exercise session attendance was not significantly related to change in Total Mood Disturbance scores. Present findings supported behavioral explanations of the exercise-mood change relationship in this cross-sectional investigation. Replications with control groups, direct measurement of biochemical markers, and nonselective samples with different characteristics in different contexts with longitudinal designs are required.
Motor Schema Development in Constant Practice: The Gradient in Bimanual Juggling with Three Balls
Authors: Czyż Stanisłtaw Henryk
Published: September 2010

Motor schemas are very attractive concepts; however, their development and internal structure appear difficult to probe and identify. The present study focuses on the development of a motor schema in constant practice. In four experiments, participants practiced bimanual juggling with three standard balls. During retention tests they were asked to juggle with standard (“practiced”) balls and nonstandard (“nonpracticed”) balls of different weight, shape, length, and size. Four juggling experiments were carried out. The participants achieved the best results juggling with the practiced balls in three experiments. During one experiment, they achieved better results juggling with nonpracticed balls. However, in all four experiments, a correlation was observed between the number of correct juggling sequences with standard balls and with nonpracticed balls. Scores presented as mean numbers of juggling cycles performed in retention tests revealed a gradient with its peak value for juggling with the practiced balls. In one experiment, the hypothetical gradient slope was steeper; however, a strong correlation between scores for juggling with practiced and nonpracticed balls was noted.
Role of Strategies and Prior Exposure in Mental Rotation
Authors: Cherney Isabelle D. , Neff Nicole L.
Published: September 2010

The purpose of these two studies was to examine sex differences in strategy use and the effect of prior exposure on the performance on Vandenberg and Kuse's 1978 Mental Rotation Test. A total of 152 participants completed the spatial task and self-reported their strategy use. Consistent with previous studies, men outperformed women. Strategy usage did not account for these differences, although guessing did. Previous exposure to the Mental Rotation Test, American College Test scores and frequent computer or video game play predicted performance on the test. These results suggest that prior exposure to spatial tasks may provide cues to improve participants' performance.
Mastery of Number Conservation by a Man with Severe Cognitive Disabilities
Authors: Campbell Jessica Lynn , Gadzichowski K. Marinka , Pasnak Robert
Published: September 2010

An autistic 21-yr.-old with a mental age of four years was taught number conservation. Mastery of this concept requires concrete operational thought and has not been thought to be possible for persons with severe disabilities. A learning set of 105 problems was used to promote generalization, and a “fade-out” procedure was used to make mastery of the problems as easy as possible. Combination of these techniques produced the first recorded success in teaching number conservation to a person with severe disabilities. This demonstration that one individual can perform at this cognitive level opens the door to research to determine the generality and limits of the potential of other individuals with severe cognitive disabilities.
Effects of Automatically Delivered Stimulation on Persons with Multiple Disabilities during Their Use of a Stationary Bicycle
Authors: Lancioni G. E. , Singh N. N. , O'Reilly M. F. , Campodonico F. , Oliva D. , Groeneweg J.
Published: September 2010

We assessed the effects of automatically delivered favorite stimulation on engagement and indices of happiness of two adults with multiple disabilities during their use of a stationary bicycle. The participants typically received four 5-min. sessions per day over a period of about 3.5 mo. Analysis showed that one participant had a significant increase in both those measures while the other participant had a significant increase in engagement during the intervention phases of the study (when the stimulation was present) as opposed to the baseline periods (when the stimulation did not occur). Implications of the findings are discussed.
Throwing Accuracy during Prism Adaptation: Male Advantage for Throwing Accuracy is Independent of Prism Adaptation Rate
Authors: Tottenham Laurie Sykes , Saucier Deborah M.
Published: September 2010

Previous studies have found that men are more accurate at throwing an object at a target than are women, independent of experience. However, these studies' results are based on average scores from multiple trials. As such, it is unknown whether the male advantage results from superior throwing accuracy or from a superior ability to calibrate subsequent throws. This study examined whether men can calibrate repeated throws more quickly and accurately than women. 25 men and 30 women were required to throw velcro-covered balls at a carpet-covered target, both with and without 10-diopter prism lenses. Participants had multiple trials in both conditions. Analyses examined whether there was a sex difference in the rate of adaptation to the prism lenses (as indicated by calibration of subsequent throws), instead of simply averaging all throwing accuracy scores and looking for an overall sex difference. Men threw the balls significantly more accurately than women, both with and without the prism lenses. However, there was no significant sex difference found on the rate of prism adaptation, as measured by improvement across the trials, i.e., calibration. Although men were more accurate at throwing balls overall, there was no sex difference in calibration of subsequent throws in adapting to the prism lenses, therefore indicating that the male advantage in throwing accuracy does not result from superior ability to calibrate subsequent throws but rather from superior throwing accuracy overall.
Contextual Interference: A Meta-Analytic Study
Authors: Brady Frank
Published: September 2010

A meta-analysis of the contextual interference effect produced 139 estimates of effect sizes from 61 studies. The average overall effect size was .38. The effect size for basic research (.57) was significantly different from applied research (.19). Significant differences were also obtained between the effect sizes for adults (.50) and those for younger learners (.10). Power for retention and transfer scores was not significantly different. The overall mean power of the studies reviewed was .43.
Relationship of Social Cognitive Theory Factors to Exercise Maintenance in Adults
Authors: Annesi James J.
Published: September 2010

Modifiable variables related to Bandura's social cognitive theory were tested for their relationship to self-reported retrospective exercise maintenance in 178 adults. Significant bivariate correlations were found between length of adherence to regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise and item clusters reflecting social support ( r = .42), self-management ability ( r = .39), and ability to tolerate exercise-induced discomfort ( r = .60). Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that each item cluster significantly contributed to the overall explained variance in length of exercise maintenance over 52 weeks ( R2 = .43). When responses from each of the item clusters were summed, participants defined as adherents had significantly higher scores than dropouts. Discussion emphasized the need for replication and implications for exercise adherence intervention.
The Level-Style of Creativity Distinction: Comments on a Recent Comparison of Two Measures of Creativity Style
Authors: Isaksen Scott G.
Published: September 2010

A recent article published in this journal made a contribution to our understanding of the relationships between two measures of creativity style. The authors interpreted their results and made a few statements that made a subtle, yet substantial link between the styles measured by the assessments and creative abilities. The purpose of this commentary is to point out a more general concern relating to keeping these constructs distinct and then using clear measures to help increase our understanding and appreciation of diverse styles of creativity and how they contribute to improving creative abilities. Even those researchers who attempt to clarify the differences can slip into using language that conflates style with level.
Self-Reported Comfort in Athletic Training to Same-and opposite-Sex Athletes
Authors: Drummond Jan L. , Cross Rhonda S. , Velasquez Benito J. , Jones Mary L.
Published: September 2010

To assess the comfort of athletic trainers in providing care to athletes of the same- and opposite-sex, the Gender Comfort in Athletic Training Questionnaire was developed. Cronbach alpha was .72. The 8-item questionnaire was mailed to 235 participants, who were senior athletic training students and clinical instructors affiliated with 14 university athletic training programs. 192 questionnaires were returned (82%). Only one t test showed a significant mean difference in reported comfort between women ( n = 103, M = 2.8, SD = 0.8; disagree) and men ( n = 89, M = 3.1, SD = 0.8; neutral) on the statement: I feel more comfortable providing athletic training services to male athletes than female athletes. The women and men in this sample were similar in their self-ratings of comfort in providing athletic training services to male and female athletes.
Outcome Expectations That Motivate Physical Activity among World Senior Games Participants
Authors: Merrill Ray M. , Shields Eric C. , Wood Alison , Beck Robert E.
Published: September 2010

This study validates a questionnaire which examines the role of selected outcome expectations from physical activity on motivating regular physical activity among a group of older adults. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 675 participants in the 2002 World Senior Games. Factor analysis identified four clusters among 14 outcome expectation items, which were labeled Recreation and Social, Physical Health, Mental Health, and Self-image. The percentage agreeing that the selected items motivated physical activity were calculated and ranked from 1 (high) to 14 (low). The average ranking in each of the four factors was 4.7 for Recreation and Social, 5.8 for Physical Health, 10.5 for Self-image, and 11.7 for Mental Health. The ranks of items did not significantly differ across categories of sex, age, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol drinking, and disease history. However, the ranking did significantly differ between individuals who considered themselves to be physically active versus sedentary. Physically active individuals were most likely to agree that recreational enjoyment or fun motivated physical activity, whereas sedentary individuals were most likely to agree that improving the quality of life motivated physical activity.
Psycho-Educational Evaluations for University Students in One Clinic
Authors: Cellucci Tony , Remsperger Petra , McGlade Erin
Published: September 2010

The number of university students requesting services based on the Americans with Disabilities Act for learning disabilities and ADHD-related difficulties has increased, although there are limited reports in the literature describing these evaluations. The current study describes a sample of 140 individuals (59% women) who presented for psycho-educational evaluation at the university psychology clinic. The students were individually administered self-report, cognitive, academic, and attention measures as indicated, and diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Difficulties with mathematics, attention, and reading concerns were the most frequent presenting complaints. 46 students met criteria for one or more learning disorders and 20 students met criteria for a diagnosis of ADHD. Test scores are summarized and findings compared with the literature.