bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Studies in subjective probability V: Chance vs. structure in visual patterns
Authors: TEIGEN KARL HALVOR
Published: May 2008

Student subjects were instructed to produce maximally non‐random, aesthetically attractive and random appearing dot patterns of two different levels of complexity (3 and 5 dots). When the patterns were grouped according to similarity, random patterns were found to belong to greater equivalence groups than non‐random patterns. They were also estimated to be far more probable to arise from a chance process, regardless of number of elements. The aesthetically attractive patterns were placed between random and non‐random patterns in terms of probability estimates. With increasing pattern complexity, patterns produced according to different instructions became increasingly distinguishable. It is argued that there may be an optimal complexity level for discovering “structure” or unique configurations in chance patterns (cf. the constellations of stars).
Infant responses and the physical environment
Authors: ULVUND STEIN ERIK
Published: May 2008

A longitudinal study of infants (n=23) from 6 to 13 months was made to explore infants' responses to objects high on complexity and responsiveness compared to low‐scored ones, and whether the high‐scored objects were preferred. Further, it was explored to what extent individual differences of the infants represent a source of variation. The results showed that more than 50% of the total variance was accounted for by differences in object qualities, and about 25% by individual differences. High‐scored objects were significantly more often preferred compared to low‐scored ones irrespective of age.
Identification with another person: Manipulated by means of subliminal stimulation
Authors: SMITH GUDMUND J. W. , CARLSSON INGEGERD , DANIELSSON ANNA
Published: May 2008

Studied problems of identification, using a meta‐contrast design. The first stimulus (A) was always the word ME. In experiment1, the second stimulus (B) depicted an aggressor and a victim facing each other. The subliminal A was flashed either on the victim or the aggressor or completely withheld. In experiment2, B showed two persons standing against different backgrounds: an open horizon or a closed room. It was assumed that the subject would be “forced” to identify with that figure in B on which A was flashed. Subjects in experiment 1 were 18 psychiatric patients and in experiment2, 32 professional artists. The results showed that the subliminal manipulation had been effective: e.g., when led by A to identify with the aggressor, projective‐sensitive and borderline subjects were confused and even reported perceptual difficulties; when led to identify with the open side, highly creative artists, as opposed to less creative ones, reported more positive impressions of the B theme.
The Baby and Toddler Behavior Questionnaires: Empirical studies and conceptual considerations
Authors: HAGEKULL BERIT
Published: May 2008

The article discusses the conceptual basis of two parental questionnaires, each measuring six dimensions of infant behavior differences and developed on large representative samples of Swedish infants, aged 3 to 10 months (N=791) and 11 to 15 months (N=357). Empirical validation data are presented and discussed as well as evidence for a constitutional basis for some dimensions. A second order variable identified in the older age group is suggested to be related to the construct of difficult temperatment. Finally, suggestions for use of the two questionnaires are put forward.
The validity of aphasic subtypes
Authors: SUNDET KJETIL , ENGVIK HARALD
Published: May 2008

The validity of aphasic subtypes derived by the Norwegian Basic Aphasia Assessment, NBAA, is discussed. 193 aphasic patients were reclassified according to the criteria of classification used by the Western Aphasia Battery. 85% agreement was established with mixed cases held apart, Wernicke's and Counduction aphasia being the least stable groups. Cluster analysis produced 9 clusters, of which 8 proved statistically valid through discriminant analysis and clinically valid through inspection of the derived test profiles. These were: Global, Broca's, Wernicke's and Anomic aphasia, each separated in a major and a minor impaired group. Accepting unclassifiable cases and specifying the desired domain of validity when classifying aphasia, are discussed.
Visual short term memory in aphasic patients
Authors: BØ OLA O.
Published: May 2008

The major purpose of this study was to investigate aphasic patients' STM for visual stimuli which are difficult to encode. The effect of a varied information rate and information load per item was tested, and so was the relation between primacy and recency scores. The investigation included memory both for content and for position. Each item group in the tests consisted of a time sequence of squares with internal grid lines and a dot in one of the cells. The location of the dot had to be remembered. Both the aphasic group and the control group included 24 persons matched for age. The aphasic group showed a somewhat lower overall score than the normal group. Apart from the interaction between groups and information load, no signifcant interactions were observed. However, there was a systematic tendency over tests towards a relatively lower recency score in the aphasic group.
Psychological factors related to post‐abortion ‘subtle’ contraceptive unreliability
Authors: LEHTINEN PÄIVI , NIEMELÄ PIRKKO
Published: May 2008

The psychological functioning of 29 women who had successfully prevented conception during four years after an induced abortion was studied, focusing on those who were using less effective contraception methods and who were less regular and responsible in birth control, i.e. who were “subtly” unreliable in the use of contraception. These women were found to be less compentent also in their work, to have a lower emotional stability and self‐esteem, to be less realistic about life and to have a less satisfying sexual relationship with less open communication. Key words: contraceptionlpsychology abortion, induced.
Learning and hypothesis testing in probabilistic inference tasks
Authors: BREHMER BERNDT , ALM HÅKAN , WARG LARS‐ERIK
Published: May 2008

The relation between learning of probabilistic inference tasks and the availability of correct hypotheses for the tasks in individual subjects was investigated in two experiments. The results showed that having the correct hypotheses as measured before learning the tasks was neither a sufficient nor a necessary condition for learning the task. It was concluded that the hypothesis measurements are not reliable enough to allow predictions on an individual level. The results also showed that subjects have not only the four basic functions: positive linear, negative linear, U‐shaped and inversely U‐shaped, in their hypothesis hierarchies but also J‐shaped functions. That the subjects can leam such functions is thus no discodinnation of the hypotheses sampling conception of learning as assumed in earlier studies.
The effects of mental imagery on skin temperature and skin temperature sensation
Authors: KOJO ILPO
Published: May 2008

In a series of six experimental sessions five subjects were instructed to imagine their hand in a hot and cold water stream. During the imagery period the subjects estimated with a psychophysical scale their subjective temperature sensations caused by the imagery. Skin temperature was measured from the thumb of the subjects' dominant hand. After each session the subjects were asked whether they had succeeded in producing an imagery. The skin temperature changes deviated significantly from the control level in the successful imagery experiments. Differences in the skin temperature changes between the successful and unsuccessful imagery experiments were significant. The skin temperature changes measured and the subjects' temperature sensations, produced by the imagery, were similar in the successful imagery experiments. The possible relationships between mental imagery and changes in skin temperature and skin temperature sensation are discussed.
Retrieval processes in restructuring: Answer to Keane
Authors: OHLSSON STELLAN
Published: May 2008

In a comment on the attempt by Ohlsson (1984) to interpret the Gestalt theory of restructuring and insight in information processing terms, Keane argues that memory retrieval is central to restructuring and that Ohlsson ignores higher‐order memory organizations. Careful comparison between Ohlsson's and Keane's hypotheses about what kind of retrieval occurs in restructuring reveals that they take different stands on three well‐known issues in the study of knowledge representation: semantic vs. episodic memory, declarative vs. procedural knowledge, and “small” vs. “large” memory units. Since humans obviously have several types of memory units, both types of retrieval processes may be involved in restructuring.
Observed and latent variables: Discussion of a basic LISREL paradigm
Authors: VOLLMER FRED
Published: May 2008

The aim of the present paper is to discuss a general paradigm of LISREL: that observed psychologocal variables are causally determined by non‐observed, latent variables. An example from the LISREL manual is used to show that this basic assumption is not generally meaningful. The possibility of understanding the theoretical variables of LISREL in an instrumentalist way is also considered. But instrumentalism, it is concluded, does not provide a tenable way of defending the LISREL paradigm. For LISREL conceives latent variables as causes of observed variables, and this is not compatible with an instrumentalist understanding of theoretical terms.
On the relation theory of “direct” psychophysics and its publication history
Authors: JUNGE KENNETH
Published: May 2008

The relation theory attempts to account for the ratio judgments of the “direct” psychophysics founded by S. S. Stevens. Its publication history is reviewed and features of the main contributions are compared.
Nature reversed: Diminishing intensity of the maternal call affects approach behaviour of chicks
Authors: BJERKE TORE , INGVALDSEN ROLF P. , HEIM JAN
Published: May 2008

Skinner (1974) suggested that ducklings could be taught to move away from an imprinting object provided the natural consequences of approach behaviour was reversed. We constructed an apparatus in which approach behaviour toward an audio‐visual stimulus caused reduced amplitude of a maternal call, whereas movement away caused an increase in amplitude. Chicks (Experiment 1) trained in this apparatus approached the training stimulus, but to a lesser degree than chicks exposed to calls of constant amplitude. Highly active experimental chicks kept a larger distance to the stimulus than passive chicks. Thus the reversal of the natural consequences of approaching influenced filial behaviour. However, a training period of three hours did not influence approach behaviour in the direction predicted by Skinner (1974). A second group of chicks (Experiment 2) which could increase the call amplitude by moving in one direction without being able to localize the sound source was more influenced by the amplitude gradient than Experiment I‐chicks.
How stable is common sense psychology and can it be transcended? Reply to Valsiner
Authors: SMEDSLUND JAN
Published: May 2008

Common sense is defined as the set of implications that all members of a given culture take for granted. The stability of common sense as a necessary condition for the maintenance of human relationships and societies is emphasized. Changes may and do occur. However, they can only take place in a very slow and piecemeal fashion in order to maintain intelligibility at all times. Transcendence of common sense by scientific psychology is difficult to envisage, since the phenomena studied are structured by that same common sense, and since communication about them also presupposes common sense. llanscendence through direct negation literally makes no sense.
Cognitive psychology in Scandinavia: Attention, memory, learning and memory dysfunctions
Authors: RÖNNBERG JERKER
Published: May 2008

The last 15 years of research on attention, memory, learning and memory dysfunction is reviewed in detail, while areas such as reading, problem‐solving and decision making are viewed from the perspective of memory and learning. Parts of the reference material are drawn from other areas than cognitive psychology: For example, educational psychology and the neurosciences. A total of 513 papers are reviewed of which 360 papers are of Scandinavian origin. On the basis of the reviewed material, three trends are projected: Cognitive task analysis, cognitive neuropsychology and, finally, an increase of qualitative data analyses.
The EMG gradient as a reflection of metamotivational state
Authors: AFTER MICHAEL J. , SVEBAK SVEN
Published: May 2008

The significance of motivational statedominance in everyday life and actual motivational state during task performance was investigated in relation to skeletal muscle tension patterns during performance in the continuous preceptual‐motor task paradigm. Subjects were recruited to form seriousminded (telic) and playful (paratelic) extreme groups according to their responses to the Telic Dominance Scale (6 subjects in each group). They all performed a continuous perceptual‐motor task twice in a neutral context (N1, N2), once with threat of aversive shock at poor performance (T), and once with promise of monetary reward for good performance (R); T and R being balanced around N 2. Measures of tonic (slow) EMG activation were derived from the “passive” forearm, and structured (blind) interview assessed motivational state. It was concluded that motivational state, rather than statedominance, was associated with EMG activation. The telic state was significant to high EMG activation for the N I and T treatments in particular.
Episodic remembering in young adults, 73‐year‐olds, and 82‐year‐olds
Authors: BÄCKMAN LARS , KARLSSON THOMAS
Published: May 2008

Younger adults (mean age = 20.6), 73‐year‐olds, and 82‐year‐olds were examined in free and cued recall of words preceded by standard instructions or organizational instructions. The younger adults outperformed the elderly groups in free and cued recall preceded by standard instructions. When organizational instructions were provided, recall differences between the younger adults and the 73‐year‐olds were eliminated, while both these groups outperformed the 82‐year‐olds. Within‐group comparisons showed that the younger group was relatively independent of contextual support at encoding (organizational instructions) and retrieval (cues) respectively. Furthermore, the group of 73‐year‐olds was able to utilize support at both stages of remembering, whereas the group of 82‐year‐olds utilized contextual support only at retrieval. The results were compared with research on memory development in childhood through the application of Ribot's law.
Visual constraints in reading: evidence from non‐ocular behaviour
Authors: JARVELLA ROBERT J. , LUNDBERG INGVAR
Published: May 2008

On‐line evidence of visual constraints in reading is reported for measures other than eye behaviour. Text was read from a CRT using a moving window between 6 and 19 characters wide, with letters outside the window replaced by blanks, dashes, or visually similar letters. Reading speed was self‐adjusted; subjects performed a subsidiary task while reading aloud. Window width and the visual context beyond the window affected dual task performance, and together with fount size, also reading accuracy. The form of text background further affected two measures of eye‐voice span. These findings complement ones for ocular behaviour obtained using a CRT window coordinated with a reader's eye fixations.
Hemispheric asymmetry of auditory evoked potentials to comparisons within and across phonetic categories
Authors: ELMO T.
Published: May 2008

In 10 right‐handed Ss, auditory evoked responses (AERs) were recorded from left and right temporal and parietal scalp regions during simple discrimination responses to binaurally presented pairs of synthetic speech sounds ranging perceptually from /ba/ to /da/. A late positive component (P3) in the AER was found to reflect the categorical or phonetic analysis of the stop consonants, with only left scalp sites averaging significantly different responses between acoustic and phonetic comparisons. The result is interpreted as evidence of hemispheric differences in the processing of speech in respect of the level of processing accessed by the particular information processing task.
Cognitive skills and Finnish language inflection
Authors: LYYTINEN PAULA
Published: May 2008

Covariation of cognitive processes and mastery of inflectional forms assessed by Berko's method were studied among 2.6–4.3‐year‐old children. The erroneous inflections produced by the children were analysed in order to discover rules underlying their morphological test responses. The use of the different rules was guided by the children's age and cognitive skills. The effects of contextual task factors varied at different mastery levels of the morphological test. The results indicate the need for concomitant analysis of the interaction between the child's existing level of morphology, cognitive skills and contextual variables of the tasks.
Dichotic listening performance to CVs between versus within groups
Authors: HUGDAHL KENNETH , FRANZON MIKAEL
Published: May 2008

The present study is concerned with comparing group mean data between groups with individual performance within groups in dichotic listening (DL). It is argued that only comparing mean ear performance in dichotic listening between groups may obscure important individual differences within groups in DL performance. In the present study we compared between group vs. within group performance in four groups of subjects (male and female, right‐ and left‐handers). The stimuli were 66 trials of consonant‐vowel combinations with the six stop‐consonants and the vowels a and u. The results showed a group mean right ear advantage for consonants in the two right‐handed groups, and a left‐ear advantage in the two let‐handed groups. The analysis of the individual distributions within each group, however, showed clear differences between the male and female groups. Generally, though, only the male right‐handed group revealed enough homogeneity within the group to warrant the conclusion that the group mean REA reflects a left hemisphere specialization for speech perception.
The epistemic status of inter‐item correlations in Eysenck's Personality Questionnaire: the a priori versus the empirical in psychological data
Authors: SMEDSLUND JAN
Published: May 2008

Judgements of the semantic relatedness of items in Eysenck's Personality Questionnaire and the corresponding inter‐item correlations were found to be significantly related. The results are taken to indicate that the inter‐item correlations are knowable a priori and, hence, are not empirical. It is also argued that the reported findings themselves are knowable a priori, and that the study, therefore, is pseudoempirical, that is, attempts to test necessarily true propositions empirically. The study was intended to demonstrate concretely the distinction between a priori and empirical in psychological data, and to indicate the confusion arising when that distinction is not made.
Hormonal and psychological effects of examination stress
Authors: VASSEND OLAV , HALVORSEN RAGNHILD , NORMAN NILS
Published: May 2008

Twelve undergraduate students were tested to determine the effects of examination stress on psychological and endocrine variables. Testing was undertaken six weeks prior to a final written examination (phase I), at the time of the examination (phase II), and 12–14 days after the examination (phase III). A control group consisted of students not taking an examination. The results demonstrated an increase in state anxiety, global stress level, systolic blood pressure and serum prolactin during stress (i.e. in phase II). In phase III, the psychological responses were normalized, but both systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as serum prolactin, were still elevated.
Sex difference in open field activity after learning in mice
Authors: KVIST BÉATRICE , SELANDER RITVA‐KAJSA
Published: May 2008

Sex difference in open field activity after learning as studied. Both Swiss albino female and male mice increased their activity after maze learning. However, the learning induced open field activity increase of the males was significantly higher than that of the females. The males were also initially more active than the females. No significant sex difference in maze learning error scores was found.
Relating other's behaviour to own behaviour: Effects of delayed response and task difficulty
Authors: DINIZ MARIA DE FÁTIMA ALENCAR , VIKAN ARNE
Published: May 2008

120 Ss from age groups 8, 12 and 16 years were tested for their understanding that another person's (O) sadness response was related to a preceding behaviour in S. The understanding was tested after experimental interaction episodes where E's assistant (O) worked on an (easy or difficult) task, was helped by S, and responded (immediately or delayed) with sadness. The results showed that a relating of O's behaviour to S was shown primarily for Ss in the two oldest age groups, and primarily when O's response was immediate. A delay of 11/2 min in O's response resulted in attributions of O's behaviour to psychological processes in O rather than to S's behaviour. The youngest Ss focused on O in explaining O's behaviour. Task difficulty did not effect Ss causal attributions.
Cross‐modal transfer of forms between vision and touch
Authors: JUURMAA JYRKI , LEHTINEN‐RAILO SINIKKA
Published: May 2008

Cross‐modal transfer (CMT) of figures was studied by varying stimulus complexity and age (9, 11, 14 years). Matched groups learned two series of 10 figures each (simple familiar and complex meaningless), one group first visually and then factually (V‐T) and the other in reversed order (T‐V), scanning time being unlimited. After learning the figures the Ss drew them from memory. These reproductions were mostly whole figures. CMT was significant in both directions. In the simple figure series transfer was regarded as symmetric, whereas the results for the complex figures suggested that the T‐V order was more efficient. Transfer did not increase with age, but each age group had features typical of it.
Quality of life and evaluation of functions among people with severely impaired mobility and non‐disabled controls
Authors: RAMUND BENGT , STENSMAN RICHARD
Published: May 2008

Thirty‐six disabled people with severely impaired mobility and 36 non‐handicapped matched control subjects were studied with respect to their self‐reported quality of life (OOL) and the ranking of 30 functions. No difference concerning QOL was found between the two groups. Correlations between QOL and six different groups of functions were very low in both groups, indicating a mechanism of adapting to a loss of functions. Comparison between the evaluations of the different functions in two groups showed that social abilities were more important to the group with severely impaired mobility, while “motor functions” were more important to the non‐handicapped control subjects.
The statistical regression phenomenon: II. Application of a metamodel
Authors: LUND THORLEIF
Published: May 2008

The relevance of the traditional regression concept to measurement of change and to causal research is investigated by applying a metamodel for the concept as a frame of reference in a logical analysis of these two research fields. It is concluded that the concept is considerably less important than ordinarily maintained in the methodological research literature. As for measurement of change, only a special error case of the concept often constitutes a biasing factor, while all special cases are of little interest for describing true changes. Concerning causal research, the regression phenomenon will probably seldom constitute any threat to internal validity. The unjustified attention given to the concept in psychological research is probably mainly due to the fact that central assumptions have been overlooked and that a thorough logical analysis of the relevance issue has not been attempted previously.
Hypnotizability, imaginative involvement, and anxiety
Authors: VASSEND OLAV , NYSVEEN GJERMUND
Published: May 2008

Forty‐five undergraduate students were investigated to determine the relationship between hypnotizability, imaginative involvement (absorption), and anxiety responses. Hypnotizability was measured independently with the Creative Imagination Scale (CIS), and imaginative involvement was measured with the Absorption Scale (ABS). The results indicated moderate significant correlations between CIS, ABS, and several of the anxiety measures. In particular self‐reported physiological aspects of anxiety/activation were associated with the CIS and the ABS. Three of the subjects reported having panic attacks. These subjects also exhibited high hypnotic responsiveness, and their scores on the ABS and several of the anxiety scales were considerably elevated as compared with the group mean level.
The temporal–hippocampal region and retention: The role of temporo‐entorhinal connections in rats
Authors: MYHRER TROND , NÆVDAL GUNNAR AASE
Published: May 2008

Results from previous studies suggest that the entorhinal cortex may be involved in mnemonic processes. The present study was carried out to investigate whether disruption of fibre connections between the temporal cortex and lateral entorhinal area may impair retention of a pre‐operatively acquired simultaneous brightness discrimination task. The lesion resulted in a severe impairment in retaining the discrimination task (Experiment 1). The retention deficit could not be traced into the hippocampal formation by making perforant path lesions or hippocampal lesions (Experiment 2). The results indicate that the lateral entorhinal cortex is more crucial for reference memory than the hippocampal formation.
Active and passive memory: States, attitudes, and strategies
Authors: HELSTRUP TORE
Published: May 2008

Six experiments examined the effect of active and passive processing strategies upon recall of verbal and figural material. The strategies were induced at three levels of instructional specificity, referred to as strategy states, strategy attitudes, and specified strategies. The defining attributes of active strategies were a high degree of task control combined with a high degree of self‐involvement, whereas passive strategies were conversely defined by low degrees of task control and self‐involvement. The tasks, including free and serial recall lists, text reproduction and reasoning tasks, varied in familiarity. In line with the expectations the results showed active strategies to be superior with moderately familiar tasks, and with reasonably precise strategy instructions. With unspecified strategy instructions, and with highly familiar and highly unfamiliar tasks, less difference between active and passive strategies was obtained. The superiority of active processing was thus found to depend both on type of task and on the specificity level of the strategies induced.
Parents' heuristics for judging children's accident risk
Authors: GÄRLING ANITA
Published: May 2008

Heuristics parents use for judging the risk or likelihood of accidents to children were investigated. It was first hypothesized that the risk is judged on the basis of the number of personally experienced previous accidents or near‐accidents which are recalled. Mothers, sampled from a general population, female undergraduates who had theoretical knowledge but little experience with children, and female students with both little theoretical knowledge and experience judged the risk that a child at the age of 2–4, 5–6, 7–9, and 10–12 years have an accident where the subjects lived. In Experiment 1 no further specification of accident was given, in Experiment 2 a number of types of accidents were specified. A positive relationship between judged risk and the number of recalled accidents was found but the latter referred to generic classes rather than to personal experiences, and the mothers did not judge the risk as higher and did not recall more accidents than the other subjects. In Experiment 3 where the risk of accidents to children was judged from specific descriptions, the importance of causal conceptions of accidents was verified by the fact that subjects predominantly mentioned the presence of a number of causes (e.g. the child's lack of skill) as reasons why they judged the accidents as likely as they did. The results furthermore were similar when subjects gave reasons for their judgements as when they were asked to explain why the accidents occurred.
The role of psychopathology and gender in respiratory self‐regulation1
Authors: CHRISTIANSEN BJØRN , SVEBAK SVEN
Published: May 2008

A group of 12 male and 12 female psychiatric patients were recruited among an anxiety‐disordered population, and their performance on a respiratory modulation test was compared with that of a matched non‐patient sample. Inferior performance was expected in the patient group, and males were expected to show better respiratory modulation than females. Results supported the conclusion that females were less able than males in modulating respiratory muscle behaviour according to requested patterns, and female psychiatric patients showed a relative lack of flexibility in the thorax or abdomen regions or in both trunk levels.
Recognition memory for utterances in conversation
Authors: HJELMQUIST ERLAND
Published: May 2008

This study reports an experiment on incidental recognition memory for conversation. A number of people listened to a dyadic conversation and were tested immediately afterwards or four days later. The two people in the tape‐recorded conversation did not know each other, nor did the audience know the two speaker‐listeners on the tape. This design was used to further clarify the role of familiarity and personal participation for memory of conversational discourse. Gist memory was high in both conditions, with lower performance after four days. Surface memory could be verified, and the level of the variables used to index surface memory was about the same in both the immediate and delayed condition. With this study we have taken a step towards better understanding of the role of familiarity and participation in communicative events for memory of these events. Even in this “minimum” participation and familiarity study, we found some indications of verbatim memory.
Effects of modelling on children's pretend play
Authors: LYYTINEN PAULA
Published: May 2008

The effects of modelling on pretend play were studied in children between 2.6 and 3.6 years of age by examining changes both in the action and language‐based expressions of pretending. Three modelled scenes were demonstrated with the same realistic toys used by the child in the pre‐modelling phase. The results gave support to the idea cf the effectiveness of modelling. The effects of the modelled scenes were clearest among children whose pre‐modelling play consisted of object‐centred actions including few of pretending. The post‐modelling play of this subgroup showed better quality of action and language categories and integration measures. Among the decentred players no significant action benefit could be achieved. This might have been an outcome of the contextual limits of the toy material and of the drop of play motivation caused by the model interruption. However, these children expressed verbal pretending revealing significant pre‐post effects for inventive utterances.
Intelligence as measured by the WAIS and a military draft board group test
Authors: MORTENSEN E. L. , REINISCH J. M. , TEASDALE T. W.
Published: May 2008

Intelligence test scores derived from individual administration of the WAIS and group administration of a military draft board screening test were obtained for a sample of 232 young Danish males. The means on both tests show the sample was somewhat above the Danish average. Despite a more than four‐year time interval between the two testings, and procedural and content differences between the tests themselves, the correlation between the two test scores was substantial (0.82). Consequently, we conclude that the group administered draft board test measures the same general intelligence as does the individually administered WAIS and is therefore well suited to large‐scale epidemiological and demographic studies of intelligence.
The effect of prompting and reinforcement of activity in elderly demented inpatients
Authors: GÖTESTAM K. GUNNAR , MELIN LENNART
Published: May 2008

On a ward for 24 psychogeriatric patients, 18 were randomly assigned to three groups with different experimental conditions. The first group was prompted and reinforced for different activities; the second was only prompted; and the third served as a control group. Activities, both the trained ones and others, were continuously monitored throughout the five week study. The results showed a clear increase in the trained activities after training. The prompting condition was effective, and the addition of reinforcement did not add any to the effects. There was no generalization to untrained activities, and the effects did not last at the 1 hr or 21 hr assessments, but was clearly visible at 5 min after training. Time seemed to be more important than place, i.e. the effect ceased with elapsed time, not because of changes in the situation.
Fear questionnaires for simple phobias: Psychometric evaluations for a Norwegian sample
Authors: JOHNSEN BJØRN HELGE , HUGDAHL KENNETH
Published: May 2008

The present study presents psychometric data for four different phobic fear questionnaires in a Norwegian sample of 284 subjects. The questionnaires concerned fear of flying, snakes, spiders and a questionnaire of general phobic complaints. The results showed a high estimate of internal consistence, and a very high test‐retest reliability for all questionnaires. A low to moderate degree of intercorrelation between the questionnaires appeared. A clear sex difference emerged in responding to all four questionnaires. In addition, a clinical sample of phobics with fear of flying as the main symptom was compared to the larger sample on a fear of flying scale. The results showed a clear difference in responding between the samples. The present study concludes that the four different fear questionnaires yielded a high degree of reliability, and their use in clinical practice is encouraged.
A new Swedish social attitude scale: Reliability and construct validity
Authors: NILSSON INGRID , EKEHAMMAR BO
Published: May 2008

The aim was to construct an updated and balanced version of a previous Swedish social attitude scale (Sidanius, 1976), and to assess the reliability and construct validity, employing a sample of 445 students, aged 14–17, from schools within metropolitan Stockholm. The results showed acceptable precision and internal consistency and reasonably high test‐retest reliability for the scale as a whole. The a priori attitude domains (political‐economic conservatism, religion, punitiveness, social inequality, ethnocentrism, and environment) were identified through use of confirmatory factor analysis. Most domains showed acceptable reliability. Differing results for the various age groups indicated that the present version of the scale should not be used among subjects below the age of 15.
Tachistoscopic and questionnaire methods for the measurement of psychological defences
Authors: OLFF MIRANDA , GODAERT GUIDO L. R. , BROSSCHOT JOS F. , WEISS KATIE E. , URSIN HOLGER
Published: May 2008

Only few attempts have been made to compare different methods aiming at quantifying defensive strategies. In this study the tachistoscopic Defence Mechanism Test (Kragh, 19606 and 1985) is compared to paper‐and‐pencil tests of defence. There were virtually no correlations between the DMT and the other measures of defence. This may indicate that the concept of defence is a highly complex one. It is suggested that the Defence Mechanism Test may be measuring primary defence while defence questionnaires may be assessing more secondary forms of defence. The two questionnaires used for assessing defence correlated significantly, while a scale for social desirability showed no correlation with DMT or the two defence questionnaires.
A critique of Tversky and Kahneman's distinction between fallacy and misunderstanding
Authors: SMEDSLUND JAN
Published: May 2008

Tversky and Kahneman explain cognitive errors in terms of either misunderstanding or fallacy, but have failed to define these concepts. Therefore, they are unable to derive strict diagnostic criteria for distinguishing between them. The lack of conceptual clarification also has prevented them from recognizing the circular relationship between understanding and logicality. Diagnosis of understanding presupposes logicality, and diagnosis of logicality presupposes understanding. This circularity follows when understanding is defined as grasping what is and is not logically implied by a given expression as intended, and when fallacy is defined as logical error. Alternative definitions are discussed and rejected. Tversky and Kahneman fail to realize that one cannot explain and understand what is genuinely illogical, and that, therefore, errors must always be regarded as failure to understand, that is, as logical inference from erroneous premises.
On the distinction between perception and cognition1
Authors: RÖNNBERG JERKER
Published: May 2008

To uphold the distinction between perception and cognition for certain classes of tasks or phenomena, it is proposed that three criteria must be met: (1) when perceptual and cognitive functions serve different biologial purposes, (2) when stimulus information in dynamic events is necessary, but not sufficient for veridical perception, and (3) when the task emphasizes explicit retrieval, as opposed to implicit use of information. Conversely, when the three criteria have not been met, conditions for theoretical unification exist.
Dark adaptation of foveal cones during the cone‐plateau period
Authors: STABELL ULF , STABELL BJØRN
Published: May 2008

Following substantial bleaching by “white” light, absolute threshold, relative spectral sensitivity and sensation of hue of monochromatic lights were measured at the central fovea during the cone‐plateau period. The absolute‐threshold level was found to increase and then decrease markedly, the relative spectral sensitivity remained invariant, while the sensation of hues of monochromatic lights from the long‐and middle‐wave regions of the spectrum changed toward hues of shorter wavelengths.
Parental reactions to the loss of an infant child: A review
Authors: DYREGROV ATLE
Published: May 2008

This article examines methodological problems, and describes and evaluates commonly explored variables regarding research on the effect of an infant's death on the family. The components of parents’ and siblings’ grief reactions, and the similarities and differences in parental grief are reviewed. The research shows marked differences between mothers’ and fathers’ reactions—the grief reactions in mothers being stronger and more prolonged. Different explanations for this are put forward. The effect of different types of loss as well as the effect of the child's life span before death are also reviewed and discussed. Further knowledge is needed to single out the influence of these factors’ on the families’ reactions. It is concluded that the death of an infant makes the family prone to develop short‐term and/or long‐term problems in their adaptation to the loss. An integrated effort by health professionals is needed to develop systematic ways of helping families to cope with the death of a child.
Differentiation and unification in perception and cognition
Authors: HJELMQUIST ERLAND
Published: May 2008

It has been suggested that the development of distinctions between perception and cognition depends upon the perspective and the level of analysis chosen. Similarly, the unification of perception and cognition may be achieved from other perspectives and when other levels of analyses are applied. The fruitfulness, and disadvantages, of diverse suggestions for differentation/unification of perception and cognition are discussed briefly.
Formal operations and postformal reasoning: A replication
Authors: KALLIO EEVA , HELKAMA KLAUS
Published: May 2008

The relationship between formal operations and postformal reasoning was examined by using the Shayer (1978) chemicals problem to assess formal operations and the Commons, et al. (1982) four‐story problem to measure postformal reasoning. The subjects were 35 undergraduate social science and humanities students. None of the subjects who were classified as concrete operational or transitional on the chemicals task showed postformal reasoning. The hypothesis that full format operations are a necessary condition of post‐formal reasoning and the expectation that subjects showing full formal operations are more likely than others to exhibit postformal reasoning was not supported.
Interaction of data and hypotheses in probabilistic inference tasks: Rejection of the hypothesis sampling model?
Authors: KNEZ IGOR
Published: May 2008

The problem of whether or not data influence subjects’ sampling of hypotheses about functional relations in the probabilistic inference tasks was examined. The results of the experiment show first, a considerable impact of data on subjects’ hypothesis selection and second, that the subjects significantly modify their hypothesis selection from one part of the experiment to the other. Thus, there is an interaction of data and hypotheses in cue probability learning (CPL) tasks regarding the hypothesis sampling process and an execution of cognitive control over the subjects’ hypothesis pool.
Dark adaptation of the long‐wave cones at different eccentricities
Authors: STABELL BJØRN , STABELL ULF , HISDAL BJARNE
Published: May 2008

Using a Wright colorimeter the ordinary long‐term, long‐wave cone dark‐adaptation curve was measured at 0, 2, 4, 7, 17, 25, 40 and 49 degrees nasally in the visual field. In opposition to previous findings, the results show that the dark‐adaptation function of the long‐wave cones changes markedly when the test field is moved outward from the rod‐free fovea. It is suggested that the kinetics of the long‐wave cone photopigment change with eccentricity. Also, at variance with previous findings, the present curves at all eccentricities may reasonably well be interpreted as consisting of three different sections; a first section where the threshold decreases rapidly, followed by a major, approximately linear section and a terminating section that converges asymptotically towards the final level of sensitivity. This finding suggests that the dark‐adaptation process of the cone system, under the given experimental conditions, is based on three somewhat different processes.
Parental grief following the death of an infant—a follow‐up over one year
Authors: DYREGROV ATLE , MATTHIESEN STIG BERGE
Published: May 2008

The course of parental bereavement during the first year following an infant's death was investigated. Also, the differences in mothers’ and fathers’ reactions, the differences according to the mothers’ occupational role, and the similarities in couples’ reactions were studied. From a total sample of 59 families, 13 families answered their questionnaires at all three time points (1, 6 and 13 months), 22 families responded at two time points, and 37 families responded at some point following the loss. Measures relating to anxiety, depression, bodily discomfort, general well being and impact of event were used at the three time points. The results showed that grief, as measured by the different inventories, decreased over time. The decrease was most evident from 6 to 13 months, and most prominent in women. A considerable number of the parents were still actively dealing with the loss all through the first year of bereavement. In most couples the mother reported most distress. Mothers were significantly more depressed than fathers at all time points, and mothers also had significantly higher anxiety and lower general health at 1 and 13 months, and intrusive scores of 1 and 6 months. Women at home evidenced more grief at all three time points than women employed outside the home. A high or low score in one spouse was more strongly correlated with a similar score in the other at 1 and 13 months, than at 6 months. The implications for counselling of parents, with special emphasis on the employment situation of the mother, is emphasized.
Decomposing the encoding of action events: A dual conception
Authors: BÄCKMANx LARS , NILSSON LARS‐GÖRAN , HERLITZ AGNETA , NYBERG LARS , STIGSDOTTER ANNA
Published: May 2008

Two experiments are reported in which we tested the hypothesis that encoding of verbal features of subject‐performed tasks or SPTs (e.g., bounce the ball, lift the spoon) is attention‐demanding and effortful, whereas physical features of this memory task (e.g., color, weight) are acquired with little effort, and without deliberate encoding strategies. In Experiment 1, subjects were asked to perform a series of SPTs and were examined on recall of verbal instructions and colors of objects involved under conditions of focused or divided attention. In Experiment 2, performance of a series of SPTs was followed by recall of verbal instructions and recall of weights of objects involved. Results of both experiments indicated that recall of the verbal task component was negatively affected by requirements of dual‐task performance, whereas recall of both physical task features was equally good in both encoding conditions. The obtained pattern of outcome is interpreted as supportive of the dual conception hypothesis of the nature of the encoding of action events.
Cognitive processes among skilled miniature golf players: Effects of instructions on motor performance, concentration time, and perceived difficulty
Authors: BÄCKMAN LARS , MOLANDER BO
Published: May 2008

Highly skilled miniature golf players were examined on a simplified miniature golf task under different instructional conditions. Results indicated that requirements to attend to a variety of technical aspects of the game during preparation impaired motor performance, whereas providing players with those aspects of the game they reported thinking of did not affect motor performance. Data on concentration time and perceived difficulty indicated that increasing cognitive demands were associated with a decline in motor precision. The overall pattern of results was interpreted such that attention directed at technical aspects of the game interfered with the players’ normal cognitive activity. Susceptibility to interference is a characteristic feature of controlled cognitive operations. Thus, the present results are consistent with the view that conscious cognitive activity may support motor behavior also at late stages of skill development.
Mood and realism of confidence judgements of one's own answers to general knowledge questions
Authors: ALLWOOD CARL MARTIN , BJÖRHAG CARL GUSTAV
Published: May 2008

This study examines the effect of a depressed mood on the realism of subjects’ confidence judgements of the correctness of answers to general knowledge questions. Research conducted on how mood influences cognitive processes gives reason to expect that a depressed mood might increase the realism of individuals’ confidence ratings. Sixty subjects were divided into three conditions, two of which were given mood induction, one condition into an elated‐happy mood and one condition into a depressed‐sad mood. As evidenced by subjects’ responses to mood scales only the depressed condition was affected by the mood induction. All subjects answered 93 general knowledge questions and rated their confidence in the correctness of the answer given. Subjects were instructed to think aloud when answering the last 31 questions. The conditions did not differ with respect to the proportion of questions answered correctly, mean level of confidence, nor with respect to three measures of the realism in subjects’ confidence ratings (calibration, over/underconfidence and resolution). The results were the same when questions answered with and without think aloud instructions were analysed separately.