bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dementia and Identification of Words and Sentences Produced by Native and Nonnative English Speakers
Authors: Burda Angela N. , Hageman Carlin F. , Brousard Kelly T. , Miller Andrea L.
Published: September 2010

The accurate identification of 30 words and 15 sentences spoken by native English, Taiwanese, and Spanish speakers was compared for 16 persons with and 16 persons without dementia. Statistically significant differences for words and sentences occurred between groups of listeners.
Velocity of a Tennis Serve and Measurement of Isokinetic Muscular Performance: Brief Review and Comment
Authors: Ellenbecker T. S. , Roetert E. P.
Published: September 2010

Isokinetic strength testing provides objective and reliable muscular performance data on elite tennis players; however, such data are not highly correlated with performance on a multiple-joint kinetic chain activity such as the tennis serve. In this brief review, an overview of the muscular performance characteristics generated through isokinetic testing for elite tennis players is presented. Application of population specific isokinetic strength profiles in specific populations for rehabilitation and performance enhancement is recommended.
The Stroop Strategy Test: Investigation of a Computerised Version of the Stroop Test for Classifying Swedish Military Servicemen
Authors: Federmann Rolf , Bäckström Martin , Goldsmith Robert W.
Published: September 2010

A computerised test termed the Stroop Strategy Test, utilising the Stroop effect, is described. To assess the test's usefulness and discriminant power, it was given to three military groups adjudged on the basis of interview and a test of intelligence to differ in their qualifications (61 men of Level 1, 41 of Level 2, and 17 of Level 3, in descending order) and a group of 16 men imprisoned or put in detention school for violent behaviour. In a discriminant analysis in which the eight measures the test provided were included and the four groups were compared yielded a discriminant power of 52.6% for the group as a whole, highest (56%) for the military Level 1 group. The potential usefulness of the test is discussed.
Report Order and Identification of Multidimensional Stimuli: A Study of Event-Related Brain Potentials
Authors: Shieh Kong-King , Shen I-Hsuan
Published: September 2010

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of order of report on multidimensional stimulus identification. Subjects were required to identify each two-dimensional symbol by pushing corresponding buttons on the keypad on which there were two columns representing the two dimensions. Order of report was manipulated for the dimension represented by the left or right column. Both behavioral data and event-related potentials were recorded from 14 college students. Behavioral data analysis showed that order of report had a significant effect on response times. Such results were consistent with those of previous studies. Analysis of event-related brain potentials showed significant differences in peak amplitude and mean amplitude at time windows of 120–250 msec. at Fz, F3, and F4 and of 350–750 msec. at Fz, F3, F4, Cz, and Pz. Data provided neurophysiological evidence that reporting dimensional values according to natural language habits was appropriate and less cognitively demanding.
Seasons in Dreams
Authors: Schredl Michael
Published: September 2010

Based on the continuity hypothesis of dreaming, whether season-related themes are more often found in five dreams collected over a 2-wk. period in particular seasons was examined for 376 women and 68 men. Whereas for winter-related themes the continuity hypothesis was supported, the percentage of summer-related themes did not differ between dream samples collected in the winter or summer months, respectively. Researchers should include the amount of time spent with season-related activities, conversations, and films to test whether in dreams the relation is direct between waking life and dreaming about seasons.
Auditory Event-Related Potentials in Parkinson's Disease in Relation to Cognitive Ability
Authors: Katsarou Z. , Bostantjopoulou S. , Kimiskidis V. , Rossopoulos E. , Kazis A.
Published: September 2010

Auditory event-related potentials were evaluated in 45 nondemented patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease and 40 matched normal controls. All patients were neuropsychologically assessed by means of the Raven Colored Progressive Matrices, four subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale (Digit Span Forward, Logical Memory, Visual Memory, Associate Learning), and the Wisconsin Card-sorting Test. The P300 component of the auditory event-related potentials was significantly prolonged in the patients with Parkinson's disease. Correlations between P300 latency and neuropsychological measures showed significant associations with lower performance on the Raven Colored Progressive Matrices and the Wisconsin Card-sorting Test. Our results indicate that for patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease subtle changes in cognitive abilities may be reflected as P300 prolongation.
Relationship of Feeling States after Exercise and Total Mood Disturbance over 10 Weeks in Formerly Sedentary Women
Authors: Annesi James J. , Westcott Wayne L.
Published: September 2010

Changes in feeling states after exercise and changes in overall mood after a period of 10 weeks were correlated after participation in a supervised, moderate intensity resistance training program. 52 previously sedentary, asymptomatic women ( M = 56 yr.) participated. Point biserial correlations were calculated between the 10-wk. change on the Profile of Mood States using the Total Mood Disturbance score as the continuous variable, and positive or negative change in feeling states after exercise, assessed via the Exercise-induced Feeling Inventory, being the dichotomous variable. Correlations were significant for both the total sample ( rpb = −.49) and participants with high initial Total Mood Disturbance based on a median split ( rpb = −.55). Participants with positive changes in their feeling states after exercise also showed a significantly greater decrease in Total Mood Disturbance than those with negative changes. Changes in Total Mood Disturbance were not significantly correlated with changes in resting heart rate over the 10 weeks. Discussion included limitations and, after replication, possible application of the findings.
Relationships between Recovery-Stress State and Performance in Sprinters and Jumpers
Authors: Kalda Jane , Jürimäe Toivo , Jürimäe Jaak
Published: September 2010

This study investigated the possible relationship between recovery-stress state and competition results in sprinters and jumpers. The Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes of Kellmann and Kallus was used. The subjects were tested one day before the Estonian Indoor Championships ( n = 10; 4 men and 6 women) and Outdoor Championships ( n = 11; 4 men and 7 women). The competition results were measured as International Amateur Athletic Federation points. Scores for Fatigue ( r = −.74) and Emotional Stress ( r = −.79) from the subscales were correlated with IAAF points during Indoor Championships. Competition results from the Outdoor Championships were correlated with scores on the Somatic Complaints ( r = −.70) and General Well-being ( r = .63) subscales. Individual analysis suggests a possible relationship between the recovery-stress state and performance in competition which should be investigated further.
Changes across Age Groups in Self-Choice Elaboration Effects on Incidental Memory
Authors: Toyota Hiroshi , Konishi Tomoko
Published: September 2010

The present study investigated age differences in the effects of a self-choice elaboration and an experimenter-provided elaboration on incidental memory. Adults, sixth grade, and second grade subjects chose which of two sentence frames the target fit better in a self-choice elaboration condition. They then judged whether each target made sense in its sentence frame in the experimenter-provided elaboration, then did free recall tests. Only adults recalled better the targets with an image sentence with self-choice elaboration, rather than experimenter-provided elaboration. However, self-choice elaboration was far superior for the recall of targets with nonimage sentences only for second graders. Thus, the effects of self-choice elaboration were determined both by age and by type of sentence frame.
Proprioceptive Training for Learning Downhill Skiing
Authors: Malliou P. , Amoutzas K. , Theodosiou A. , Gioftsidou A. , Mantis K. , Pylianidis T. , Kioumourtzoglou E.
Published: September 2010

The aim was to assess whether balance training would improve downhill skiing for 30 physical education students who had no previous skiing experience and were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group attended only ski lessons for two weeks, 2 to 4 hours daily. The experimental group attended downhill ski lessons and indoor balance training on a balance board, wearing ski boots, for 20 min. every second day in the afternoon. All participants before training completed a balance assessment (stability indices). After the completion of the ski classes, all repeated the balance assessment and two downhill ski tests of agility, slalom and snowploughing techniques. Analysis of variance with repeated measures showed both groups improved balance similarly, but the experimental group performed significantly better on the downhill-slalom agility test, so the specific indoor balance training was helpful.
Comparison of the Cognitive Styles Analysis and the Style of Processing Scale
Authors: Ong Yean Wei , Milech Dan
Published: September 2010

The Cognitive Styles Analysis and the Style of Processing Scale are two tests designed to assess verbal-visual cognitive style. These scales represent two of the main approaches to assessing verbal-visual cognitive style, namely, computer-based testing and paper-and-pencil testing. A student sample ( N = 75; sex: 23 men, 52 women; age: M = 18.1 yr., SD = 1.7 yr.) yielded low correlations between the verbal-visual components of the tests (largest r = .08), indicating that they are unlikely to be related. The Cognitive Styles Analysis has some support for validity but its reliability has recently been criticised. The Style of Processing Scale has demonstrated reliability but has little support for validity. Currently, neither test could be considered a clearly dependable scale for assessing verbal-visual cognitive style.
Seasonality of Suicide in Eastern Europe: A Rejoinder to Lester and Moksony
Authors: Voracek Martin , Yip Paul S. F. , Fisher Maryanne L. , Zonda Tamás
Published: September 2010

Seasonality of suicide in Hungary decreased from the 1980s to the 1990s, supporting the 2003 conclusion of Lester and Moksony. However, it was the strongest ever to be documented with contemporary suicide data, supporting the conjecture of Voracek, et al. (2002) that seasonality of suicide remains high in Eastern Europe. A new hypothesis regarding the co-occurrence of high incidence and strong seasonality of suicide is presented.
Response Preparation and Stimulus-Response Congruence to Fractionating Reaction Time of Upper and Lower Limbs
Authors: Kato Yuichiro , Kizuka Tomohiro , Endo Hiroshi
Published: September 2010

We measured the fractionating reaction time for upper and lower limbs of 18 young men, using an electromyogram to clarify the interaction of response preparation and stimulus-response congruence on premotor and motor time. The reaction time was divided into two periods with respect to the onset of the electromyogram, premotor and motor components. Manipulating the probability of the Go versus NoGo signals varied three different amounts of response preparation. Prior to the imperative stimulus, precue information about the position of a stimulus was presented. In the stimulus-response congruent task, subjects were required to release a key on the same side of the body using either an upper or lower limb in response to an imperative Go stimulus. In the stimulus-response incongruent task, subjects were required to act in a reverse manner. Subjects were not supposed to respond to the NoGo stimulus. The premotor time of the upper and lower limb responses was affected by the respective effects of response preparation and stimulus-response congruence. The motor time of the upper and lower limb responses increased as the probability of the Go signal decreased but not in relation to stimulus-response congruence. These results suggest that response preparation affects not only information processing time but also peripheral motor activity due to motor programming, and that the stimulus-response congruence effect on motor time disappears when information about the position of the imperative stimulus is precued.
Effects of a Stress-Management Program on Injury and Stress of Competitive Gymnasts
Authors: Kolt Gregory S. , Hume Patria A. , Smith Paul , Williams Maynard M.
Published: September 2010

20 competitive gymnasts (17 girls, 3 boys; mean age, 14.4 ± 3.4 yr.) were recruited from two clubs in Auckland, New Zealand. Gymnasts, who had competed at a national or international level, were divided into two groups to examine the effects of a longitudinal stress-management program on injury and stress. Those in the stress-management group took part in 12 1-hr. sessions over 24 weeks, while the control group took part in a placebo program of anthropometric measurements and lectures on nutrition. All participants completed the Life Experiences Survey and Athletic Experiences Survey at baseline, 3 mo., 6 mo. (end of intervention), and 9 mo. (3 mo. after completion of intervention). Injury data were collected prospectively by weekly self-report over the 9-mo. study. Repeated-measures analyses of covariance with age and, where applicable, the baseline measure of the dependent variable entered as covariates, indicated no significant group or group by time effects for the scores on the two surveys, or injury scores. However, given the small sample, the statistical power of the study to detect even large effects was low. Therefore, rather than concluding that the stress-management program had no effect on training hours lost to injury or on stress, upper limits were placed on the magnitude of any effects that might exist. Further research using larger samples is recommended.
Image of Aging Scale
Authors: Levy Becca R. , Kasl Stanislav V. , Gill Thomas M.
Published: September 2010

The development of the Image of Aging Scale is described. It includes positive and negative images of elders within nine domains. The scale showed good 1-wk. test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and convergent validity.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Attachment Style and Parental Bonding
Authors: Ercolani Mauro , Farinelli Marina , Trombini Elena , Bortolotti Mauro
Published: September 2010

The attachment styles and parental bonding of 72 patients ( M age = 45.3 yr., SD = 13.5) suffering from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease were compared with those of 105 healthy subjects ( M age = 44.9 yr., SD = 5.8). A clinical interview and two questionnaires, the Attachment Style Questionnaire and the Parental Bonding Instrument, showed that the scores on the ASQ Confidence subscale were significantly lower in the clinical group. Similar results were obtained for the Discomfort with Closeness subscale in the subsample with Pure Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. The results indicate Insecure Attachment in the clinical sample. The results obtained from the Parental Bonding Instrument indicate that scores on the Protection Mother scale were significantly higher in the clinical subjects, suggesting a Low Care–High Protection combination (Affectiveless Control), at least for patients with pure Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. These characteristics can be considered important factors in the tendency to somatization. The symptoms may have a paradoxically normalising function while the patient shows an emotional detachment towards intimate relationships. The illness appears to act as a bond through which the relationship with the caregivers is maintained.
A Foot-Pointing Task and Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters during Walking in Sportsmen
Authors: Paillard Thierry , Dupui Philippe , Montoya Richard
Published: September 2010

Unlike many sports, karate imposes pointing to a target with the lower limb. The nature of each sport could influence gait variables of sportsmen. The aim of this study was to examine the pointing accuracy of limb swing and the spatial and temporal parameters of the walking cycle during walking in karate experts (Group K, n=6) compared to accuracy of nonkarate sportsmen (Group S, n=11). The second aim of this study was to compare the influence of this skill on the spatial and temporal parameters of the walking cycle between the two groups. The analysis was performed with a device composed of a gait analysis system (locometer) coupled to a lighted walkway. This system provides a measurement of the motor skill and the spatial and temporal gait during walking. Analysis for the pointing task indicated no differences between the Karate and the Sportsmen Groups during walking. Moreover, neither the spatial nor temporal characteristics of walking differed between the two groups. Karate does not therefore seem to develop motor programs specific to enhanced performance on this pointing task during walking or alter the walking cycle as compared to some other competitive sports.
Test-Retest Reliability of the Seated Functional Rotation Test in People with Parkinson's Disease: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Batavia Mitchell , Gianutsos John G.
Published: September 2010

This study established the test-retest reliability of a seated Functional Rotation Test monitoring hand-pointing, together with head and trunk-rotation performance, in people with Parkinson's disease. An ancillary purpose was to establish the concurrent validity between the Functional Rotation Test and an electrogoniometer. 10 males with Parkinson's disease ( M age = 70.5 yr.; Hoehn and Yahr staging severity ranging from II to IV) were recruited. Subjects were fitted with laser-pointing devices, sat in the Functional Rotation room, and were instructed to turn actively and point to their right (or left) as far as they could comfortably manage. Tagged projections were scored (in degrees). Testing was repeated after a brief interval. Electrogoniometer projected locations were compared with Functional Rotation Test scores. Intraclass correlation coefficients (.91 to .97) indicated excellent test-retest reliability. There was also excellent agreement between electrogoniometric and Functional Rotation Test values (Intraclass correlation coefficients = .99). Thus the Functional Rotation Test provides a replicable measure of axial rotation of head, trunk, and hand-pointing in seated subjects with Parkinson's disease.
Reaching Long-Term Goals Based on Local Interaction between an Organism and the Environment: Computer Simulations Based on Adaptive Behavior
Authors: Vives Meritxell Miñano , Beltran Francesc S.
Published: September 2010

An agent-based computer simulation created using the adaptive-behavior approach has shown that in some cases it is possible to reach a long-term goal (defined here as a desirable place far removed from the agent in time and in space) without necessarily having an exhaustive, predefined plan of action, but rather by using a set of rules on sensorimotor couplings that govern the organism's local interaction with its environment. We used an agent-based simulation program that emulated a two-dimensional microworld in which agents interacted with their environment and other agents through a set of sensorimotor couplings to reach a long-term goal. The main hypothesis was that the sensorimotor coupling, which consisted of following other agents, led to the emergence of collective behavior that enabled the agents to attain the long-term goal. We systematically varied the sensorimotor couplings that allowed agents to follow other agents, agents' perceptual field length, and the number of obstacles. In total, there were 160 independent simulations for each design cell. Analysis supported the hypothesis and suggested that, in addition to the process of reaching long-term goals, other cognitive processes, such as categorization, memory, and reasoning, can be reconsidered bearing in mind the emergence of behavior and an approach based on interaction between the organism and its environment.
Control of Lateral Weight-Transfer Initiation during Sitting
Authors: Sekiya Noboru , Takahashi Masaaki
Published: September 2010

Whereas many researchers have examined the transition from quiet posture to dynamic state, study of the initiation of lateral weight-transfer during sitting has only begun recently. This action is included in many tasks performed in our daily living, i.e., reaching, dressing, looking backwards, lying down, and shuffling the buttocks. The present study was designed to describe lateral weight-transfer movements of healthy adults, kinematically and kinetically, and to clarify the strategies and speed dependency of lateral weight-transfer initiation during sitting. Seven healthy Japanese male students without orthopaedic or neurological disorders participated. Their lateral weight-transfer movements were measured during sitting, using two force platforms and a 3-dimensional analysis system. Analysis showed that there appear to be two strategies for the initiation of the task: one is the lateral bending of trunk toward the weight-transfer side, and the other is a coordinated reciprocal leg action of both legs. A combination of these strategies is used in a trade-off fashion during natural motions. These results are clinically important for the assessment and therapy of patients with sitting problems.
Conscious and Effortful or Effortless and Automatic: A Practice/Performance Paradox in Motor Learning
Authors: Oliveira Flavio T. P. , Goodman David
Published: September 2010

High cognitive effort has been frequently related to better indices of motor learning through the study of many different paradigms. However, automaticity presumably invokes minimal cognitive processing but has often been related to high-level motor performance, which suggests a paradox. The objective of this study was to approach this paradox by examining the viability of the use of different cognitive strategies during practice and performance which promote the benefits of high cognitive effort and automaticity. Members of the university community (14 men and 15 women) divided into 3 groups practiced a discrete precision task. All participants completed four sessions totaling 320 trials and were tested on retention and transfer seven days later. Findings suggest that it is indeed possible to benefit from both effortful and minimal cognitive processing strategies and that they should be used complementarily.
Faulty Japanese Sentences are Judged More Grammatical When Punctuation is Used: Negative Implications for Chomsky's Principle of Full Interpretation
Authors: Nagata Hiroshi
Published: September 2010

88 adult Japanese speakers judged the grammaticality of isolated simple bitransitive sentences involving an uninterpretable extra argument in addition to three legitimate arguments. The sentences thus violated Chomsky's principle of Full Interpretation which prohibits the structure building of a sentence including uninterpretable elements. The primary variable of interest was the presence or absence of punctuation, i.e., commas, which enclosed the extra argument. Findings showed that sentences with punctuation were judged more grammatical than the ones without punctuation, with an average score of judged grammaticality exceeding 3 on a 7-point scale (1= least grammatical; 7 = most grammatical). This score would not be expected if the speakers possess and judge the sentences in conformity with the principle of Full Interpretation.
Sound Level of Background Music and Alcohol Consumption: An Empirical Evaluation
Authors: Guéguen Nicolas , Hélène Le Guellec , Jacob Céline
Published: September 2010

The effect of background music on alcohol consumption has been widely researched in the literature, but few studies have tested the effect of sound level on drinking behavior. An experiment was carried out in two bars to test patrons' response to music's loudness. Using random assignment, patrons were exposed to a sound level which was higher than that usually employed in the bars in which the study took place. Analysis showed that a higher sound level than usual was associated with consuming more drinks. An “arousal” hypothesis is used to explain the findings.
The Formal Pace of Sesame Street over 26 Years
Authors: Koolstra Cees M. , van Zanten Juliette , Lucassen Nicole , Ishaak Nazreen
Published: September 2010

Television producers often use a high rate in the succession of visual and auditory features in their programs to attract the attention of viewers. In this study an attempt was made to measure the formal pace of television programs by scoring the rates of an extensive set of formal visual and auditory characteristics. Sesame Street was chosen as a focal point because this educational program—with its high pace—is very successful in its competition with the majority of commercial programs from which children can choose to watch at home. The analyzed material consisted of 49 Dutch episodes of Sesame Street broadcast between 1977 and 2003. The formal pace characteristics of separate program items from Sesame Street could be reliably established. Factor analysis indicated that clear pace factors were (a) “editing,” consisting of a frequent use of different types of shots (total shots, medium shots, and close-ups) combined with a large number of cuts and (b) speech rate. Over a period of 26 years, the pace of editing increased: the mean number of cuts increased from about 4 to 8 per minute. The mean speech rate decreased from 175 to 139 words per minute.
Effects of Familiar and Unfamiliar Asynchronous Music on Treadmill Walking Endurance
Authors: Crust Lee
Published: September 2010

To assess effects of familiarity of music on treadmill endurance, 15 female undergraduates in sports science performed an incremental treadmill walking task on three separate occasions while listening to Familiar Music, Unfamiliar Music, and White Noise. A repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated that participants walked for significantly longer when accompanied by Familiar and Unfamiliar Music in comparison to White Noise ( p<.01). Although participants rated Familiar Music as significantly more motivating than Unfamiliar music ( p<.05), no significant differences were found between the two music conditions for treadmill endurance. Heart rates did not appear to be influenced by music during treadmill walking or on completion of the task.
Single-Digit Multiplication: Is There an Age-of-Acquisition Effect?
Authors: Adams John , Muncer Steven
Published: September 2010

Evidence for 37 12-yr-old students is presented which suggests that an age-of-acquisition effect may be present in the performance of single-digit multiplication facts.
Association of Exercise Counselors' Sex with Exercise Session Attendance in Women Enrolled in a Cognitive Behavioral Treatment System
Authors: Annesi James J. , Unruh Jennifer L.
Published: September 2010

Attendance rates from two groups incorporating a cognitive behavioral treatment system (male counselor group, n = 53; female counselor group, n = 56) and a control group using standard methods of exercise counseling ( n = 56) were contrasted with new and returning female exercisers (overall M age = 40 yr.). Analysis of variance with follow-up Scheffé tests indicated significantly greater attendance for the treatment groups (54 and 58%) than for the control group (37%) over 6 months. No significant difference between the treatment groups was found. Findings suggest that the sex of exercise counselors does not appear to influence attendance of exercise sessions.
Mental and Physical Practice Schedules in Acquisition and Retention of Novel Timing Skills
Authors: Overdorf Virginia , Page Stephen J. , Schweighardt Ray , McGrath Robert E.
Published: September 2010

Research has indicated that random physical practice of a motor skill enhances effects of long-term learning more than blocked practice. Moreover, the use of mental rehearsal coupled with physical practice has been shown to accelerate motor skill acquisition in many different contexts and is better than no practice at all. Others have found that some mental rehearsal strategies are better than others for maximizing performance. This study examined how combinations of mental and physical practice schedules affected the learning of a coincidence timing task. 30 college students were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups involving combinations of imagery and physical practice. Three tasks were utilized, each involving a particular speed (slow, medium, fast) on the Bassin Anticipation Timer. Conclusions were based on a three-way analysis of variance, using type of mental practice, type of physical practice, and sex as between-group factors, conducted separately for acquisition and retention trials. Type of physical practice was significantly related to performance. On the acquisition trials, random practice was associated with larger mean errors than blocked practice; however, the reverse was true for retention trials. There was no significant effect of type of mental practice in either the acquisition or retention phase. Sex was significantly related to performance for the retention trials only, where the 15 men made smaller errors than the 15 women.
Analysis of Kavale and Mattson's “Balance Beam” Study (1983): Criteria for Selection of Articles
Authors: Nolan Joseph E.
Published: September 2010

The effects of perceptual motor training in children with learning disabilities have been hotly debated for many years. Proponents have included many of the pioneers in the fields of learning disabilities and motor development. Among the challenges perhaps the most sophisticated one has been the meta-analysis by Kavale and Mattson. Their conclusion was that perceptual motor training was not an effective intervention for children with disabilities. The purpose of this project was to analyze critically the Kavale and Mattson meta-analysis from the perspective of an adapted physical educator and to consider the validity of this meta-analysis when examining multiple interventions dealing with a multitude of disabilities. A critical analysis of all 180 studies question their conclusions.
Personality Differences in High Risk Sports Amateurs and Instructors
Authors: Watson Alison E. , Pulford Briony D.
Published: September 2010

This study investigated the personality differences of 21 amateurs and 20 instructors who participated in the high risk sports of skydiving, hang-gliding, paragliding, scuba diving, microlighting, and rock climbing, versus those who did not. 38 men and 28 women ( M age = 32.6 yr., SD = 10.0) were assessed using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire–Revised, the General Health Questionnaire, the Generalised Self-efficacy Scale, and a Type A/B personality measure. Instructors and Amateurs scored significantly higher on Extroversion and lower on Neuroticism than Nonparticipants; however, they differed from each other on the General Health Questionnaire and Type A/B personality scores. Amateurs scored significantly higher on Psychoticism and Self-efficacy than Instructors and Nonparticipants. In conclusion, these test scores suggest that people who are attracted to high risk sports tend to be at the extroverted and emotionally stable end of the scale, with a tendency to exhibit Type A characteristics; however, Instructors' scores on Psychoticism and Self-efficacy are more akin to those of Nonparticipants.
Sex-Related Developmental Differences in the Lateralized Activation of the Prefrontal Cortex and Amygdala during Perception of Facial Affect
Authors: Killgore William D. S. , Yurgelun-Todd Deborah A.
Published: September 2010

The lateralization of cognitive abilities is influenced by a number of factors, including handedness, sex, and developmental maturation. To date, a small number of studies have examined sex differences in the lateralization of cognitive and affective functions, and in only few of these have the developmental trajectories of these lateralized differences been mapped from childhood through early adulthood. In the present study, a cross-sectional design was used with healthy children ( n = 7), adolescents ( n = 12), and adults ( n = 10) who underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a task that required perceiving fearful faces. Males and females differed in the asymmetry of activation of the amygdala and prefrontal cortex across the three age groups. For males, activation within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was bilateral in children, right lateralized in adolescents, and bilateral in adults, whereas females showed a monotonic relationship with age, with older females showing more bilateral activation than younger ones. In contrast, amygdala activation was similar for both sexes, with bilateral activation in children, right-lateralized activation in adolescents, and bilateral activation in adults. These results suggest that males and females show different patterns of lateralized cortical and subcortical brain activation across the period of development from childhood through early adulthood.
Does Augmented Feedback from Pedometers Increase Adults' Walking Behavior?
Authors: Eastep Eric , Beveridge Sandy , Eisenman Patricia , Ransdell Lynda , Shultz Barry
Published: September 2010

This study investigated whether feedback from pedometers motivated adults to increase their walking behavior. Participants ( n = 26) were enrolled in one of two 8-wk. “Walking for Fitness” classes. The study used a crossover design, such that Group 1 wore pedometers for the first 3 weeks (Feedback Condition) and sealed “disguised” pedometers for the last 3 weeks (No-feedback Condition). The order of feedback was reversed for Group 2. Analysis indicated that (a) neither group increased their walking behavior significantly over time and, (b) interactions between groups were not significant at Week 3 or 6, indicating that groups did not respond differently to feedback from the pedometers. If a motivational effect from pedometers exists, it may be small, dissipate before 3 wk., only work in combination with goal setting, or only motivate certain types of individuals.
Expertise in Cognitive Psychology: Testing the Hypothesis of Long-Term Working Memory in a Study of Soccer Players
Authors: Postal Virginie
Published: September 2010

This experiment compared several theories of expertise and exceptional performances in cognitive psychology. One current conception assumes that experts in a specific domain have developed a long-term working memory, which accounts for the difference in memory performance between experts and novices. The principal characteristics of this memory are the speed with which processes of storage and retrieval function and the existence of retrieval structures that allow a temporary activation of the knowledge store in long-term memory. Other authors such as Vicente and Wang argue this notion does not account for memory performance that is not intrinsic to the domain of expertise. We attempt to clarify the two viewpoints and to focus on this debate by testing the hypothesis of long-term working memory using soccer as the domain of expertise and by comparing the cognitive performance of participants who have different expertise (novices, supporters, players, and coaches). 35 male participants were administered a new version of the Reading Span test to assess their long-term working memory according to two conditions. In the first condition (structured condition), the last word of each sentence was related to the soccer domain, and these words were related to each other in such a manner that they represented a part of the game. In the second condition (unstructured condition), the last word of each sentence was related to soccer but these words did not represent part of the game. Analysis showed that the sentence span increased as a function of expertise for the structured condition but not for the unstructured condition. The results were interpreted in the framework of the constraint attunement hypothesis proposed by Vicente in 1992 and the long-term working memory hypothesis proposed by Ericsson and Kintsch in 1995.
Possible Influence of Linguistic Musical Background on Perceptual Pitch-Matching Tasks: A Pilot Study
Authors: Schueller Marianne , Bond Z. S. , Fucci Donald , Gunderson Frank , Vaz Petula
Published: September 2010

Linguistic background has been identified as important in the perception of pitch, particularly between tonal versus nontonal languages. In addition, a link between native language and the perception of musical pitch has also been established. This pilot study examined the perception of pitch between listeners from tonal and nontonal linguistic cultures where two different styles of music originate. Listeners were 10 individuals born in China who ranged in age from 25 to 37 years and had spent on the average 30 mo. in the USA and 10 individuals, born on the Indian subcontinent, who ranged in age from 22 to 31 years, and had spent an average of 13 mo. in the USA. Listeners from both groups participated in two conditions. One condition involved listening to a selection of music characteristic of the individual's culture (China, pentatonic scale; Indian subcontinent, microtones), and one condition involved no music. All listeners within each condition participated in two voice pitch-matching tasks. One task involved matching the lowest and highest pitch of tape-recorded voices to a note on an electronic keyboard. Another task involved matching the voice pitch of tape-recorded orally read words to a note on the keyboard. There were no differences between the two linguistic groups. Methodological limitations preclude generalization but provide the basis for further research.
Body-Esteem in Swedish 10-Year-Old Children
Authors: Erling Ann , Hwang C. Philip
Published: September 2010

This study examined body-esteem in 10-yr.-old children. The study group comprised 960 schoolchildren, 515 girls and 445 boys ( M age = 10.4, SD = 0.5). Analysis showed that girls who were overweight had more negative body-esteem on all dimensions (weight, appearance, and attribution). The overweight boys had more negative perceptions on only two dimensions (weight and appearance). Twice as many girls perceived themselves as too fat (20%) as too skinny (10%). Of the girls who perceived themselves as fat, only 31% were overweight; similarly only 33% of the boys who perceived themselves as fat were overweight. The children's perception of their weight seemed as important as their actual weight and was associated with their body-esteem in the same way. Although few children had dieted (7% of the girls and 5% of the boys), the ones who had dieted had more negative body-esteem than children who had not dieted.
Discrimination and Production of English Vowels by Bilingual Speakers of Spanish and English
Authors: Levey Sandra
Published: September 2010

The goal of this study was to examine whether listeners bilingual in Spanish and English would have difficulty in the discrimination of English vowel contrasts. An additional goal was to estimate the correlation between their discrimination and production of these vowels. Participants (40 bilingual Spanish- and English-speaking and 40 native monolingual English-speaking college students, 23–36 years of age) participated ( M age = 25.3 yr., Mdn = 25.0). The discrimination and production of English vowels in real and novel words by adult participants bilingual in Spanish and English were examined and their discrimination was compared with that of 40 native monolingual English-speaking participants. Stimuli were presented within triads in an ABX paradigm. Novel words were chosen to represent new words when learning a new language and to provide a more valid test of discrimination. Bilingual participants' productions of vowels were judged by two independent listeners to estimate the correlation between discrimination and production. Discrimination accuracy was significantly greater for native English-speaking participants than for bilingual participants for vowel contrasts and novel words. Significant errors also appeared in the bilingual participants' productions of certain vowels. Earlier age of acquisition, absence of communication problems, and greater percentage of time devoted to communication contributed to greater accuracy in discrimination and production.
Perceived Psychological Stress among High School Basketball Officials
Authors: Stewart Michael J. , Ellery Peter J. , Ellery Jane , Maher Lora
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this study was to survey certified high school basketball officials during midseason to assess whether the sources and magnitude of perceived psychological stress would be consistent with previous studies of officials in other sports. The sources and magnitude of perceived psychological stress were measured among 324 high school basketball officials ( N = 324; 312 men, 12 women) using a revised version of the Ontario Soccer Officials Survey. The mean age was 37.6 yr. ( SD = 9.4), and the mean years of basketball refereeing experience was 11.7 yr. ( SD = 8.3). A random sample ( N = 498) of all basketball officials in a midwestern state ( N = 1,011) was used, and 324 of the surveys were returned (65%). The overall variance accounted for with the four factors was 84.7%. The magnitude of stress for these factors ranged from below mild to moderate.
Generalization of Achievement Orientations for Experiences of Success and Failure in Youth Sport
Authors: Whitehead Jean
Published: September 2010

Studies of achievement orientations in sport have focused on subjective success. This study explored the extent to which these orientations generalize to subjective failure. 796 youth sport participants ages 9 to 16 years (338 boys, 458 girls) recalled personal experiences of success and failure. These were then categorized as mastery, comparison or social recognition orientations. In 60% of cases, participants used the same orientation to interpret success and failure. In the middle and oldest groups, such generalization was most frequent for mastery orientations in girls but for comparative orientations in boys. In the youngest groups, mastery orientations generalized most frequently for each sex. Hence achievement orientations generalized across type of experience, but with differences by age and sex.
Relationships between Physical Activity and Motor Skills in Middle School Children
Authors: Reed Julian A. , Metzker Andrea , Phillips D. Allen
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between physical activity measured as pedometer steps and performance on three motor skill tests. A secondary purpose was to determine if middle school children are meeting the recommendation for the number of daily steps. A sample ( n = 217) of 6th, 7th and 8th grade students participated. Each subject wore a Digi-Walker pedometer for three consecutive days. Subjects additionally recorded their pedometer steps in two 45 min.-physical education classes. There were strong significant correlations between daily steps taken by boys and girls, pedometer steps during physical education class and the AAHPERD Passing Test and the Bass Stick Balance. Similar correlations were weaker for the Side-Step Agility Test. Multivariate analysis of variance was utilized to examine variability of the three skills test by sex and year in school. Differences between students in Grades 7 and 8 on the AAHPERD Passing Test were significant. In addition, significant differences between daily pedometer steps and steps during physical education between Grades 6 and 7 were observed. Boys and girls had similar means on the AAHPERD Passing Test and Bass Stick Balance Test, but not on the Side-Step Agility Test. Scores on the three movement skills tested in this study were not strongly related to physical activity of the entire sample. Steps taken by middle school children appear not to be related to these measures of motor skills.
Effects of Illusory Stripes on the Helmholtz Illusion
Authors: Yoshioka Tooru , Ichihara Shigeru , Akutsu Hiromi
Published: September 2010

This study examined the Helmholtz illusion by using “illusory stripes.” A square patch is perceived as wider when vertical lines are drawn on it and is perceived as taller when horizontal lines are drawn on it, i.e., Helmholtz illusion. With vertical lines curved sinusoidally, horizontal “illusory stripes” are perceived; and with horizontal lines curved sinusoidally, vertical “illusory stripes” are perceived. The purpose of the present study was to test whether the “illusory stripes” produce the Helmholtz illusion. We measured the apparent size of a square patch filled with sinusoidal lines. Our subjects ( N = 27) judged the patch with horizontal “illusory stripes” taller than the square patch filled with vertical straight lines. The subjects also judged the square patch with vertical “illusory stripes” wider than the square patch filled with horizontal straight lines. These results demonstrate that “illusory stripes” can produce the Helmholtz illusion.
Effect of an Interference Task on a Ball-Hitting Skill by 6- to 10-Yr.-Old Children
Authors: Rosey Florence , Keller Jean
Published: September 2010

We explored the functionality of interference on a forehand tennis shot among 145 6- to 10-yr.-old children using the retroactive interference procedure. First, the children were asked to execute 10 forehand drives with a small tennis racquet (prime test). They were then asked to execute 10 frontal returns (interference test). The final probe test was similar to the first test, but children executed only 3 forehand drives. Children were assessed using a developmental category for the forehand drive skill. Each developmental step reflected a common sequence of body configurations exhibited by all individuals and was evaluated point-by-point. Multivariate analysis showed that boys had higher ratings of developmental steps of coordination than girls and that the rated developmental step initially increased with age before stabilizing. The developmental steps of coordination decreased after the interference task. We also showed that interference mechanisms are operative for this gross motor skill in childhood, but no interaction was found with age and sex. Post hoc analysis showed that developmental steps were not significantly different after the interference task for the oldest children, suggesting the onset of the inhibitory process.
Visual Attention in Young Adulthood after Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation at Birth or Being Born Small for Gestational Age
Authors: Viggedal G. , Carlsson G.
Published: September 2010

The Posner cue-target paradigm for the study of shifts in visual attention was used to assess focused attention and shifts in attention in 43 young adults, 19 to 28 years of age, who had been in need of cardiopulmonary resuscitation at birth because of perinatal asphyxia ( n = 31) or who were born small for gestational age ( n = 12). Their performances were compared to that of 18 control subjects. The subjects resuscitated at birth were divided into two groups, mild and moderate, according to neurological symptoms during the neonatal course. An expected significant main effect by block of trials and conditions was found, with general decrease in reaction times from Blocks 1 to 5 and with slowest reaction times to an invalid cue and fastest to a valid one. No group differences were statistically significant, but the moderate asphyxia and the groups small for gestational age had longer average reaction times on all test conditions than control subjects, implying that those who showed the most severe pre- or neonatal complications also were most affected in attentional functions.