bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local autonomy in visual space
Authors: GOGEL WALTER C. , MERSHON DONALD H.
Published: May 2008

Abstract.— The adjacency principle is considered in the context of the two factor theory of perception which divides the sources of perceptual information into absolute and relative cues. The adjacency principle states that the effectiveness of relative cues between objects varies inversely with the perceived separation of the objects either in a frontoparallel plane or in depth. The evidence regarding this principle is discussed for paradigms in which a test object is displaced spatially with respect to either one induction object or two opposing induction objects. The mqjor cues examined for evidence regarding adjacency effects consists of binocular disparity, achromatic color induction. and relative motion.
Patterns of perceptual change in the ages 7 to 15 years: a cross‐sectional study of the Rod‐and‐Frame Test and the spiral aftereffect technique
Authors: ANDERSSON ALF L. , RUUTH EGIL , AGEBERG GUNNEL
Published: May 2008

Abstract.— Studied cross‐sectional changes in Rod‐and‐Frame Test (RFT) deviation scores and spiral aftereffect (SAE) duration scores in 124 boys and 124 girls aged 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 years. The gradual decrease in magnitude of RFT deviation with age reached its minimum at the age of 13. A sex difference, disappearing with age, was adequately described by a measure of performance change, boys counteracting to a higher extent than girls the frame influence as the RFT trials proceeded. An increase in SAE duration, found previously with 5‐year‐olds, appeared here with 111‐year‐olds but later in a series of ten trials rather than initially as with the younger children. Relations between RFT and SAE scores were mainly found with 7‐year‐olds, i.e. at an age when per‐ceptual‐figural regulations may still dominate the cognitive organization of some children. The SAE results are viewed within a multi‐line developmental model characterizing cognitive growth as a dialectic process of progressive shifts between objectivized and self‐centered modes of representation.
Political perception and political preference An exploratory study of Swedish political parties
Authors: EKEHAMMAR BO , SIDANIUS JIM
Published: May 2008

Abstract.— Political perception was studied as a function of the perceiver's political viewpoint. The political stimuli used were the names of 9 Swedish political parties or organizations. Political viewpoint was defined by the person's political party preference. The subjects were 105 undergraduate psychology students. Different aspects of political party perception were studied concerning (a) perceived positions of the parties on a Left‐Right continuum, (b) perceived similarity among parties, and (c) the number and nature of inferred dimensions and categories underlying the perception of the parties. With regard to (a) and (b), the analyses indicated systematic differences among political preference groups, whereas the number and nature of political dimensions seemed to be the same. Thus, for both socialists and nonsocialists the dimensions underlying the perception of Swedish political parties could be interpreted as “left‐right”, “extremity”, and “religiosity”.
The influence of emotional conditions on imilarity estimations of emotional terms
Authors: DEVINE BERNARD , LUNDBERG ULF
Published: May 2008

Abstract.— Twenty‐four male university students made similarity estimations whilst under the influence of five strongly contrasting emotional inducing situations and in a neutral situation. Intra‐ and interindividual comparisons between the results indicate that a high degree of stability was maintained by each individual over time whereas differences appeared between individuals. The results suggest that subjects are well able to produce about the same result in spite of heightened levels of emotional state.
Neural basis of cutaneous sensations analyzed by microelectrode measurements from human peripheral nerves—a review
Authors: JÄRVILEHTO TIMO
Published: May 2008

Abstract.— A new approach to neural mechanisms of cutaneous sensations is evaluated. In this approach unit activity is recorded from human peripheral nerves with simultaneous measurements of cutaneous sensations. The method is described and some methodological problems are discussed. Comparison of the data on physiological properties of human and animal cutaneous receptors indicates that no marked differences exist between the receptors in the two species. The data on simultaneous measurements of peripheral neural activity and cutaneous sensations are reviewed. It is indicated that in spite of some limitations, microelectrode measurements from human peripheral nerves give a fruitful starting point for the investigation of the neural basis of cutaneous sensations.
Toward a psychological cost‐benefit model for educational and vocational choice
Authors: EKEHAMMAR BO
Published: May 2008

The usefulness of cost‐benefit models for analyzing the individual's educational and occupational choice is discussed, with the choice after high school graduation as an example. As a background, the economic approach linked to the human capital concept is described as well as the use of cost‐benefit analysis within this framework. Cost‐benefit analysis is then discussed as a possible model within the area of educational and occupational choice. First, the traditional, strictly economic model is analyzed and criticized. A psychological economic alternative is proposed which, in contrast to the economic model, is based on the individual's perceptions and expectations regarding costs and benefits. As a third step, a purely psychological cost‐benefit model is suggested, where the cost and benefit concepts are broadened to include all types of personal sacrifices and rewards. This model is regarded as more realistic for the individual's career choice than the economic prototypes.
Adjustment of intellectually below‐average men not identified as mentally retarded
Authors: GRANAT KRISTINA , GRANAT SVEN
Published: May 2008

A study was made of the adjustment of adult persons who were intellectually belowaverage but had not been labelled as mentally retarded, with the aim of revealing any groups among them at potential risk of being labelled in the future. In connection with enlistment for military service, a sample of 19‐year‐old men of below‐average intelligence and a control group of intellectually average men were selected. A cluster analysis of 22 adjustment variables in the intellectually below‐average group gave four homogeneous clusters with respect to social and personal adjustment: A well‐adjusted cluster, a personal problem cluster, a crime cluster and work problem cluster. The subjects of the crime cluster had grown up in big towns and their parents were registered in the files of the social welfare authoritis. Work problems had more frequently been preceded by problems at school. The crime cluster and the work problem cluster were considered to run the greatest risk of being labelled mentally retarded in the future.
Conflict resolution and social understanding in six to twelve year old boys
Authors: BORG ANETTE , HULTMAN EVA , WÆRN YVONNE
Published: May 2008

Three different aspects of children's social competency were studied, i.e. social methods, (via their suggested solution to given conflict situations), social understanding (via their explanations of the solution given) and role‐taking capacity. 75 boys—ages 6, 8 and 12 years—were interviewed concerning different conflict situations, six of which involved a child/child interaction and six a child/adult interaction. A separate role‐taking task was also used. Developmental differences in social methods were found only in situations involving adults, where older children to a greater extent chose altruistic methods for solving the conflict. As regards social understanding, developmental changes were found and correspond to results reported by previous researchers. Role‐taking capacity was found to increase with age. Role‐taking as measured here was not related to social understanding. Social method and social understanding were significantly related to each other in some of the situations, mainly in those involving only children. The results indicate that different norms prevail for solving conflicts with adults versus with peers, and that the role‐taking aspect is but one of several involved in the development of social understanding.
Dimensions in the perception of architecture:II. Measures of exploratory behavior
Authors: OOSTENDORP ANKE , BERLYNE D. E.
Published: May 2008

Four experiments were conducted with 20 slides of buildings representing major architectural styles. The purpose of the experiments was to determine interrelations of verbal and non‐verbal measures. The experiments were concerned with: (1) Looking Time, (2) Reward Value, (3) Judgments indicative of Exploratory Tendencies, and (4) Exploratory Choice. The findings were consistent with previous studies in experimental aesthetics. It was concluded that exploratory reactions to the architectural environment may be expressed in at least two types of behavior. First, exploratory behavior was found to be related to perceptual curiosity aroused by a building. Secondly, behavior could be predicted from the hedonic aspects of the building. These two underlying variables were also found to merge frequently.
Effects of two retention interval components on performance differences between study‐test and anticipation methods in paired‐associate learning
Authors: IZAWA CHIZUKO
Published: May 2008

Given that the retention interval consists of two qualitatively different and operationally distinguishable components, both separate and joint effects of them were necessary to assess their relative dominance in controlling both significant and nonsignificant performance differences between anticipation and study (reinforcement)‐test methods; thus illuminating results thought inconsistent for about two decades. Three paired‐associate learning experiments, with a total of 167 university students, were conducted with both massed (no intercycle or Type I interval) and spaced (30 sec Type 1 intervals) practice within each experiment. Both significantly and nonsignificantly superior performance resulted for the study‐test method vis‐à‐vis the anticipation method with massed practice without practice. Findings support the retention interval hypothesis (Izawa, 1972) which is further strengthened when augmented with the capacity to account for the absolute performance differences between methods.
Effects of presence of mother versus preschool teacher on the behaviour of infants in a strange situation
Authors: MARTINSEN HARALD , SMØVIK DAG , SMITH LARS
Published: May 2008

Seventeen infants (10–24 months of age) were observed twice in a strange situation, once accompanied by mother and once in the company of a familiar preschool teacher. On basis of video‐tape recordings a total of 13 behaviour items relevant to infant attachment were scored. The results failed to demonstrate definite differential effects of mother vs. preschool teacher on the infants' behaviors in this situation. In particular, the infants were just as ready to separate themselves from their companions and explore into an adjoining room when attended by the preschool teachers as when accompanied by their mothers. Implications for Ainsworth's and Bowlby's theory of infant attachment are briefly discussed.
Psychological tests as indicators of excessive exposure to carbon disulfide
Authors: HÄNNINEN HELENA , NURMINEN MARKKU , TOLONEN MATTI , MARTELIN TUIJA
Published: May 2008

Twelve psychological tests including a standardized questionnaire were administered to 20 male viscose rayon workers with long‐term exposure to carbon disulfide and to 152 nonexposed men. With the method of multiple discriminant analysis the number of tests was reduced from 12 to 5 and the number of variables from 30 to 7. The variable setting of the obtained discriminant function contained measures of different types of psychomotor performances, emotional behaviour and subjective symptoms. Sensitivity and specificity of the tests and the criteria for a detected effected were evaluated a posteriori. In general, the sensitivity of the methods was better than its specificity. Sufficient specificity could be obtained when a higher probability level for belonging to the exposed group was applied as the criterion, but even then, the application of other, reference diagnostic methods seems necessary to separate the false positive cases.
The relationship between psychological test results and EEG patterns in healthy children
Authors: BOSÆUS ELISABETH
Published: May 2008

222 children (112 girls and 110 boys) aged 5–16 years with different types of EEG pattern, selected according to well defined normal criteria in order to exclude cerebral lesion elements, were investigated by current child‐psychiatric diagnostic methods, including the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children (WISC), which gave a mean IQ of 116.5. With two so‐called tests of organicity (Bender Gestalt Test and Benton's Revised Visual Retention Test) poor performances indicating brain damage were shown in 22% and 24% of the children respectively. Various EEG patterns showed few significant correlations with the test variables. According to clinical judgement “slight symptoms of cerebral dysfunction” was found in some children, but no correlation appeared between such symptoms and poor performance in the psychological tests. The high frequency of defective scores in the Bender and Benton tests in this selected material of healthy children means that these tests cannot be used in clinical work for diagnosing brain injury in individual children. Nor can they be used to throw light on the clinical significance of the different EEG variables studied.
Measurement of cathectic energies
Authors: SALAY FERENCE
Published: May 2008

An objective verbal cathexis test was developed in a series of experimental studies. The test was utilized to examine the validity of a personality theory which was defined within a biological frame of reference. A total of 293 normal subjects, 22 neurotics, and 16 habitual drunkards participated in the experiments. The results showed high reliabilities of the verbal test (r=0, 75‐0.95), significant validity of the theory (confirmatory factor analysis, p>0.01, empirical validity, p<0.01), and that extreme cathexis for social objects was related to deviating adaptation in modern society.
Constitution and change of cognitive processes: some methodological issues
Authors: JENSEN JORGEN AAGE , BREDO OLE
Published: May 2008

The article discusses some fundamental epistemological assumptions and methodological requirements for the study of cognitive processes. Regarding systematic intervention as a necessary part of the obervational procedure, a problem solving situation about elementary logical operations is analyzed as a communication system comprising the subjects, the task, and the experimenter. It is argued that four planes of description are necessary and sufficient for (1) constituting a set of events as a process and (2) providing the basis for the use of experimenter intervention as a means for interpretation of cognitive processes.
Boundary conditions for the modality effect: Type of material and time of test
Authors: JOHANSSON BO S. , NILSSON LARS‐GÖRAN
Published: May 2008

Recall of auditory and visually presented information was studied using three different types of material. Although auditory presentation was superior for all three types of material, the size and pattern of the effect depended upon whether the visual presentation was successive or simultaneous. Successive visual presentation reduced recall performance compared to auditory presentation considerably for real sentences, while smaller effects were obtained for noun sequences and scrambled sentences. The overall supremacy in recall of auditory presented items was reduced further when compared to a simultaneous visual presentation. In the last two experiments, all effects of modality of presentation obtained in immediate recall were replicated, but were eliminated in delayed recall. The finding that this modality effect is eliminated in delayed recall is taken to indicate that semantic aspects of the material to be remembered are by and large unaffected by mode of presentation, while more superficial aspects are the ones influenced.
Immediate reactions to TV‐violence by Finnish pre‐school children of different personality types
Authors: LAGERSPETZ KIRSTI M. J. , ENGBLOM PÄIVIKKI
Published: May 2008

Children were filmed while watching violent films and their facial expressions were rated from the videotape. After having seen the violent films and after a control film they were filmed while playing in groups of three. The children represented four personality types, aggressive, constructive, submissive, and anxious. While viewing, the aggressive children looked less concentrated than the others, the constructive children showing most tenseness and fear. In the play behaviour, personality accounted for more differences than type of film seen. The submissives and constructives showed an increase in aggressive play after the violent film. Facial expressions while viewing predicted later behaviour only to a small extent. There were no differences between the sexes in the total scores, but within the sexes there were differences between the personality types.
Schizophrenic reactions in the Serial Spiral After‐Effect Test
Authors: MEYER LENNART , FRANZÉN GÖRAN
Published: May 2008

A group of 52 schizophrenics, 13 neurotics and 30 normals were studied by means of the Serial Spiral After‐Effect Test. Schizophrenics with classical overt symptoms showed significantly higher values compared to neurotics, normals and latent schizophrenics on the residual variability in ten consecutive durations of the after‐effect, i.e. the total variability minus the variability ascribable to linear change. Significant correlations were obtained between residnal variability in the Serial Spiral After‐Effect Test and psychosis, as assessed by a psychiatric rating scale for the schizophrenics with classical overt symptoms, when the mean level in the Serial Spiral After‐Effect Test was checked.
Attempts to predict intelligent behavior: 1. The Categorizing Test
Authors: RAAHEIM KJELL , KAUFMANN GEIR , KAUFMANN ASTRID
Published: May 2008

The possibility of predicting future intelligent behavior by means of a test calling for flexible categorizing of a present situation is discussed. The test, called The Categorizing Test, consisting initially of 22 items, was tried out on 94 Ss. The results showed high, positive correlations between the items, suggesting that they to a strong degree tap the same cognitive function, which is interpreted as an ability to categorize flexibly. A shorter 10‐item version of the test was compared with a test of verbal intelligence and a flexibility test of a traditional kind. On the whole, high, positive correlations were obtained, with the Categorizing Test apparently occupying a central position. These results constitute validating evidence for The Categorizing Test.
Some ethical dilemmas in sensitivity training, encounter groups and related activities
Authors: BRAATEN LEIF J.
Published: May 2008

Some ethical dilemmas in connection with sensitivity training, encounter groups and related activities are discussed. We distinguished between pre‐group, in‐group and post‐group dilemmas. Pre‐group dilemmas consisted of competence of leader, screening of participants, contract, voluntary participation, conflicting roles, organization of group work and conducting of research. In‐group dilemmas were optimum level of awareness, leadership style and personality, image of man, issue of “casualties”, confidentiality and freedom to make errors. Post‐group dilemmas included “re‐entry” difficulties, repression of changing individuals and follow‐up procedures. Conclusions were as follows: (a) There exist indeed a series of ethical dilemmas in conducting growth groups. (b) The good group leader must learn to live with this seemingly chronic ethical dissonance. (c) The one most significant ethical guideline is to establish the optimum level of awareness in the group. (d) There is a pressing need for more adequate research on such ethical dilemmas.
The perception of collative properties in visual stimuli
Authors: CUPCHIK GERALD C. , BERLYNE DANIEL E.
Published: May 2008

Two experiments were conducted to determine how quickly subjects respond to collative properties (e. g., Complexity, Uncertainty) of visual stimuli. In Experiment 1 subjects were presented with reproductions of paintings and artificial patterns which varied in collative properties (e. g., Uncertainty, Redundancy). Subjects were able to discriminate these properties on related verbal scales after only a single glance (50 msec) as well as after multiple glances (500 and 5000 msec). In Experiment 2 subjects were presented with pairs of paintings and patterns differing along collative dimensions (e. g., High versus Low Uncertainty) in an exploratory choice paradigm. The results show that for exploratory choice subjects were particularly sensitive to unity or order after only a single glance (50 msec) and to diversity or complexity after multiple glances (500 and 5 000 msec). In general, the data for the single glance condition are consistent with theories which attribute holistic processing to the initial phase of perception.
Skin conductance as a function of alcohol during motor approach towards a noxious goal
Authors: LINDMAN RALF , ALEXANDERSON GUN , KVARNSTRÖM BIRGIT
Published: May 2008

During hand movement towards a goal involving electric shock, increased SCR amplitudes were observed for increased threat. In the presence as well as in the absence of alcohol, shock probabilities of 0.50 and 1.00 induced stronger SCRs than no‐shock control conditions. The outcome was related to behavioural measures of hesitation where an alcohol dose of 0.9 g/kg reduced hesitation significantly. It was concluded that the cognitive appraisal of threat remained unaffected by alcohol, whereas fear as reflected by hesitation was reduced. A highly significant decrease in SCR latency was observed under alcohol conditions (p <0.001). Twelve volunteer Ss served as their own controls in the alcohol/placebo X shock probabilities X replicates design.
Effect of practice on utilization of nonlinear rules in inference tasks
Authors: BREHMER BERNDT
Published: May 2008

The effects of practice on subjects' ability to use nonlinear rules was investigated in five experiments. The first experiment showed that performance and transfer varied with the amount of practice given, the second that having to produce overt responses in training did not lead to better performance or transfer. The third and fourth experiment tested the hypothesis that the low transfer effects were due to interference, but since neither switching the order of test tasks nor an interpolated task affected performance, the hypothesis was rejected. The fifth experiment, finally, showed that practice decreased the nonsystematic error in the subjects' response systems, but did not affect the systematic features.
The invariance of asymmetric cross‐modal transfer effects
Authors: MOLANDER BO , GARVILL JÖRGEN
Published: May 2008

Cross‐modal transfer as a function of the amount of first modality training was investigated in two experiments. Subjects learned to associate numbers with three‐dimensional objects which were presented either visually or tactually. After training in one of the modalities, the transfer was tested in the other modality. In the first experiment the transfer was tested after different number of trials of training and in the second experiment it was tested after different levels of overlearning. Transfer in the tactual‐visual order was superior to transfer in the visual‐tactual order in all training conditions, and the magnitude of the effect was the same. The results suggest that learning factors such as amount of training are of minor importance as causes to the asymmetry between these modalities and that it may be more fruitful to concentrate on perceptual factors.
An experimental investigation of the labelling effect of psychiatric diagnosis
Authors: GJERDE PER , SAND RASMUS , KLEIVEN JO
Published: May 2008

Eighty‐six college students in four different classes were shown a videotaped, staged group situation. Two classes viewed a version in which one of the actors behaved in a ‘neurotic’ fashion. The other two viewed a tape where all actors behaved ‘normally’. One class from each of these conditions was told that the actor had been described as severely neurotic, resulting in a total of four experimental conditions. Ratings of subjects' questionnaire data indicated more attribution of psychological disorder when the ‘neurotic’ label was used. A significant difference between the two tape conditions was also found, indicating a successful behavior manipulation on the tapes. The label also appeared to influence subjects' evaluation of the actor's past.
Acquisition of inflection‐like rules in concept‐formation tasks
Authors: HELSTRUP TORE
Published: May 2008

The learning of inflection‐like rules was examined in experimental situations designed as concept‐formation tasks. Nonsense words with prefix, stem, and suffix positions were used to form word expressions in an artificial miniature language. The inflection rules, besides separating word segments, served to relate the word segments to a reference field. The results suggest that words are learned component by component, the learning process being affected by factors like position and distinctiveness of word parts, of stimulus presentation, and kind of strategy used. The acquisition of inflection rules is a function of feedback types, modes of presentation, and presentation of combined vs. discrete word parts. Inflection rules are learned in much the same way as word meanings. With complex rules the task is difficult, the acquisition process slow, and the general rule comprehension low. However, the findings indicated that also complex rules may be learned in concept formation situations. As an explanation of language learning in concept‐formation situations, a two‐stage model was set forth.
Hue shift of induced colour as a function of luminance relations
Authors: DEREFELDT GUNILLA , HOLMGREN SVEN , BERGSTRÖM STEN STURE
Published: May 2008

The hue of induced colour was studied as a function of surround/test field luminance ratio using a chromatic surround and an achromatic central test field. The hue of the test field was determined by means of colour naming methods. Three inducing colours were used: blue (Wr No. 47), green (Wr No. 58), and red (Wr No. 25). The number of subjects was 9–11 in the two experiments. The luminance ratio (ranging from 0.07 to 17.1) was varied by varying the luminance of the test field (Experiment 1) or of the surround (Experiment 2). For the blue surround the results show a hue shift in accordance with the Bezold‐Brücke phenomenon. For the inducing colours green and red the induced colours are weak, and the hue shifts are more or less unsystematic though there are individual subjects showing a trend in the Bezold‐Brücke direction. It is concluded that the hue shifts depend on the luminance relations rather than on the test field luminance.
Effects of outcome feedback on perception of dispositional and situational control in motor skill performance
Authors: ISO‐AHOLA SEPPO E.
Published: May 2008

This experiment investigated the effects of outcome feedback and the type of situation on perception of dispositional and situational control over motor skill performance. The experimental design was a 2 × 2 × 2 (type of situation × past outcome × present outcome) factorial. The subject competed with an opponent (a confederate) on ten pretest and ten test trials of a motor maze task. The results showed that both past and present success enhanced perception of dispositional control in terms of personal ability whereas failure (past and present) facilitated perception of situational control in terms of the opponent's ability. The type of situation had negligible influence on the subject's control perception of their motor performance. The results were viewed as having important implications for studying the effects of social reinforcement and outcome feedback on motor performance and thus for understanding why outcome feedback sometimes increases and sometimes decreases motor performance.
A functional interpretation of the modality effect
Authors: NILSSON LARS‐GÖRAN
Published: May 2008

A functional conceptualization of the modality effect is presented, i. e. of the empirical finding showing a superior short‐term retention of auditorily as opposed to visually presented verbal information. This theoretical view proposes that memory performance should be regarded as a function of an interaction between specific demands of the memory task and available cognitive capabilities. This notion is contrasted with two existing interpretations of the modality effect stating larger processing or storage capacities for a hypothetical memory system when information is auditorily as opposed to visually presented. Four experiments are reported, which all demonstrate the viability of the present view: The nature of the recall difference between modalities varies as a function of the interaction between task demands and cognitive capabilities and not as a function of certain properties of a hypothetical memory system.
Multi‐trial recognition memory: Proactive versus retroactive interferences within a single list
Authors: IZAWA CHIZUKO
Published: May 2008

Both results and interpretations are conflicting concerning proactive or retroactive interferences that may be generated by individual items upon other items within a single recognition list. In an attempt to explore a factor that may assist in reconciling varied findings, each of the three present lists consisting of either CVCs, two‐digits, or words, respectively, was presented via half‐lists on multi‐study and ‐test cycles. Two half‐lists were given in such a way that both sublists experienced the same number of intervening events in the mean retention interval, but differing ones in the composition of mean retroactive study and test events. Sixty male and female undergraduates participated. In contrast to small proactive study event interference, both retroactive study and retroactive test events did control recognition performances in an intriguing manner: Relative interferences generated by retroactive study events were weaker early in acquisition, but gained strength as learning progressed, and at late acquisition stages became quite powerful vis‐à‐vis retroactive test events. Thus, the acquisition stage seems to be a relevant factor in determining recognition performance.
Work conditions, social status and sex differences in primary and secondary enuresis
Authors: LARSEN STEEN , WINTHER BENT
Published: May 2008

From previous investigations on the enuresis problem a distinction between primary and secondary enuresis is established. The first type concerns children who have never been dry and the second those with acquired enuresis. The theory is advanced that primary enuresis is a development problem mainly due to delayed cortical development or insufficient bladder capacity, whereas secondary enuresis is regarded as caused by an increased anxiety level. Some social and psychological factors in this theory, i.e., the mother's working conditions, the social status of the family, and the sex of the child, are empirically examined in an investigation of 82 children 7–15 years old. The results support the view that the main factors in the enuresis problem are related to the child's daily practice and in the socialization form of the family.
Moral reasoning and emphasis on different kinds of moral content
Authors: WESTMAN MARTIN
Published: May 2008

A test designed to differentiate between conventional and postconventional moral reasoning was completed by 56 university students, who also rated positive and negative items in four general moral content areas. Postconventionality was related to relatively greater stress on social and especially on international moral content. Overall and within‐area differences were discussed with reference to the structural characteristics of each type of moral orientation, especially the consequences of the postconventional capacity to apply ideal role‐taking in moral reasoning.
Effect of mode of presentation on performance in a familiar task
Authors: KAUFMANN GEIR , BENGTSSON GØRAN
Published: May 2008

Contrasting interpretations of the role of overt, exploratory activity in problem solving was evaluated by presenting a task that could be solved by the application of a familiar physical principle under abstract and concrete conditions. Contrary to what is found under unfamiliar task conditions, superior problem solving performance was obtained under the abstract condition. The findings support the hypothesis that the utility of overt, exploratory activity is related to the degree of novelty of the task.
Retrograde Amnesia after ECT. An Attempt to Demonstrate Reminder‐effects in Humans
Authors: MORTENSEN ERIK LYKKE
Published: May 2008

In a study of the retrograde amnesic effect of bilateral ECT, twelve patients were subjects in a repeated measures design. Both verbal and nonverbal materials were used and retention was tested with different methods: Yes‐no recognition, forced‐choice recognition and recall cued by initial letters. The absolute amount of retrograde amnesia was small; there seemed to be no difference between verbal and nonverbal materials, and cueing with initial letters was not found to be an effective method of reducing amnesia.
Exploring Curiosity:A curiosity‐exhibitionism inventory, and some empirical results
Authors: HARTMANN TERJE , HAVIK ODD
Published: May 2008

To develop an instrument for a broad exploration of curiosity and exhibitionism, a questionnaire was constructed. This questionnaire contained 7 subscales, 5 scales reflecting exhibitionism and curiosity according to different degree of neutralization and 2 scales focusing on curiosity and exhibitionism during childhood. The complete questionnaire and the MAS was administered to 55 Norwegian Ss. In accordance with psychoanalytic theory, positive correlations between the different scales measuring different kinds of curiosity and exhibitionism emerged. The correlations between these scales and the MAS were mostly low and insignificant. The questionnaire was later administrated to 92 Norwegian Ss. The main results from the first study were replicated.
Multidimensional scaling of cognized distances among selected African states: Illustration of a methodological alternative to univariate scaling techniques
Authors: GWEBU THANDO
Published: May 2008

Cognitive mapping involves psychological assimilation or internalization of the relative location of given phenomena. In this investigation multidimensional scaling was utilized to recover cognitive maps of selected African countries, from African students, at Kent State University, Ohio, USA. MDS yielded results which suggest that the subjects seemed to differentiate these African countries on the basis of three criteria; first, reactionary status, secondly colonial grouping. The third dimension for state categorization however remains obscure, thus posing a challenge for future investigation.
Reading and spelling skills in the first school years predicted from phonemic awareness skills in kindergarten
Authors: LUNDBERG INGVAR , OLOFSSON ÅKE , WALL STIG
Published: May 2008

A series of metalinguistic tasks, including segmentation and synthesis of words, were given to 143 children in kindergarten. The children were followed up in school where reading and writing achievement was assessed with several tests and ratings. A causal model was postulated concering the relationships between general abilities, metalinguistic competence, and reading and spelling skills. The quantitative implications of the model were worked out by path analysis, which revealed an orderly and interpretable picture. The most invariant and important determinant of basic reading and spelling skills was the analysis of simple words. Failure and success in school could be predicted with high accuracy on the basis of preschool data. Over 70% of the children were classified correctly in the extreme quartiles as to their future school achievement. The methodological advantage of applying path analysis instead of conventional multiple regression analysis on the present problem was discussed.
Visual stimulus intensity and location probability: Interactive effects on choice reaction time
Authors: NIEMI PEKKA , KESKINEN ESKO
Published: May 2008

Three prevalent models predict different stimulus intensity effects on RT. These are: the serial‐stage model (additivity), the variable criterion model (larger intensity effects with slower responding), and the temporal overlap model (smaller intensity effects with slower responding). The predictions were tested in a dual‐response situation including oculomotor and manual responses (RT). Other variables were stimulus location probability (expectancy), foreperiod (alertness), and stimulus intensity (encoding. In Experiment I, an Intensity x Probability interaction was found such that the intensity‐effect was smaller at low stimulus probability. Three further experiments were performed in order to specify some of the conditions relevant for this phenomenon. The results are consistent with the temporal‐overlap interpretation. It was suggested that the obtained interaction results from a processing delay due to increased demands for cognitive and response processing (Stanovich & Pachella, 1977), or to the attention switch to an unexpected S‐R event.
Alcohol and eye contact
Authors: LINDMAN RALF
Published: May 2008

The effects of alcohol (0.9 g ethanol/kg body weight) on mood and eye contact were studied in male and female subjects engaged in dyadic interaction with unfamiliar, continuously gazing like‐sex or opposite‐sex interviewers. Thirty‐two volunteer students served as unpaid subjects in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design with four subjects per cell. Significant subjective increases in affiliative mood were observed in male as well as in female subjects at a mean BAC of 1.08 ± 0.12 g/l. Significant interactive effects were observed as functions of the sex of the subject and interviewer with alcohol/placebo treatment in analyses of pretreatment/post treatment change for two measures of gaze duration. The results were discussed in terms of the Argyle‐Dean conflict model and it was concluded that alcohol did not induce the net approach gain expected as a result of increased affiliation and/or reduced interpersonal avoidance. Sober subjects tended to look at their like‐sex interviewers more and drunk subjects less, the trend being particularly evident in female subjects. It was suggested that the effects of alcohol on eye contact may be strongly associated with sex‐roles.
Theoretical considerations of the differentiation of sexual behavior: Evidence from animal experiments
Authors: SÖDERSTEN P. , HANSEN S.
Published: May 2008

Some aspects of the experimental study of hormonally controlled sexually dimorphic behavior patterns are discussed, using results derived from research on rat and guinea pig sexual behavior as the model. The traditional concept that sex differences in behavior are due to differences in hormone sensitivity may be only partially correct and it is suggested that the sexes differ primarily in the extent to which their behavior is influenced by diurnal rhythm mechanisms.
Psychology and “ordinary language”—a critique of Smedslund
Authors: JONES ANDREW J. I.
Published: May 2008

This article takes up methodological issues of the kind raised by Jan Smedslund in earlier issues of this journal, concerning the status of psychological enquiry as a discipline. Arguments are presented which aim to show that Smedslund has failed to establish the thesis that all generally valid theoretical statements in psychology are explications of conceptual relationships embedded in ordinary language, i.e., analytic statements. Some specific examples of what Smedslund takes to be “ordinary language theorems” are examined. Doubts are expressed concerning the validity of the proof procedure Smedslund employs in the “demonstration” of a number of his alleged theorems. Finally, it is argued that the results produced by the situation‐bound and culture‐bound empirical research of the psychologist need not be viewed as “arbitrary” in Smedslund's sense of that term.
Temporal factors in audition and vision: A functional emphasis
Authors: RÖNNBERG JERKER , ARCHER TREVOR , OHLSSON KJELL
Published: May 2008

Sixty‐four subjects were tested in an experiment relating temporal factors to the modality effect. The experiment involved both an immediate recall and a recognition phase. Recall scores supported a functional view of the modality effect, while the one‐and two‐store models only partially predicted the data. The recognition data could only be accounted for in functional terms. A non‐parametric compatibility score was suggested to capture the recognition performance. The effect of a shift of input mode (in Phase I) to test mode (in Phase II) was also analyzed.
Methods for analyzing performance of musical rhythm
Authors: BENGTSSON INGMAR , GABRIELSSON ALF
Published: May 2008

Performance of musical rhythm was analyzed to test the hypothesis that such performance is characterized by certain systematic variations as regards the durations of the sound events in relation to strict mechanical regularity. Monophonic performances of 28 melodies in different notations were registered, and the duration data were treated by a special computer program for systematic variations and by factor analysis. The methods are illustrated for one of the melodies demonstrating pronounced systematic variations and different types of performance as found by factor analysis.
Posthypnotic suggestions and behavior change: Highly hypnotizables compared with simulators
Authors: GAUNITZ SAMUEL C. B. , NYSTRÖM‐BONNIER ELISABETH , SKALIN MARINA
Published: May 2008

The authenticity of a posthypnotically released emotion was examined to see whether this emotion also could modify the reaction times (RTs) of subjects. The simulant design proposed by Orne (1979) was utilized, with 10 highly hypnotizable subjects and 10 non‐hypnotizable simulators participating in the experiment. The subjects received a post‐hypnotic suggestion to the effect that every presentation of a light stimulus would release a feeling of discomfort and that a second light stimulus would be neutral. They were informed that they could terminate the stimulation by pressing a RT switch and received a suggestion of amnesia for the posthypnotic suggestion. The simulators skilfully imitated the objective behavior of the hypnotic subjects; their physiological reactions increased and their RTs were shorter when exposed to the aversive stimulation. The main differences occurred in the subjective reports. The hypnotic subjects reported that the emotion was released involuntarily and found relief in escaping from it, while the simulators reported no corresponding experiences, saying that they had deliberately manipulated the objective behavior.
An aggression machine: IV. Concurrent and predictive validity over ten years
Authors: PITKÄNEN‐PULKKINEN LEA
Published: May 2008

The subjects (60 boys) were drawn from the sample of a longitudinal study of social development to represent extremely aggressive, anxious, constructive, and submissive patterns of behaviour at the age of 8. A year later they were tested with an aggression machine (PAM). This allows variation of the intensity of both aggressive attack and defence in different stimulus conditions. The intensity of defensive aggression towards different attackers as well as the response style variables, latency, duration, and number of responses were correlated with observed and self‐reported data at the ages of 8, 9, 14 and 19. The results showed that the intensity of aggression toward a same‐sex peer had the highest validity. Opposite sex and authority figures as attackers called up other associations and motives, such as conflicts with the mother and anxiety. From the response style variables the highest validity was obtained for reaction time. This correlated with constructive behaviour.
On some sources of metacomprehension
Authors: WAERN YVONNE , ASKWALL SUSANNE
Published: May 2008

Metacomprehension is defined as readers' evaluations of their performance on a task, involving inferences derived from a text. In two studies metacomprehension was related to characteristics of the inferences required, in terms of 1) amount of information to be kept in long‐term memory (Study 1), 2) amount of information to be kept in short‐term memory (Study 2) and 3) existence of negatives (Study 2). In the first study, 41 psychology students read a text and afterwards judged 1) the correctness of a set of pragmatic inference statements, and 2) their confidence in being correct or the difficulty of judging each statement. In the second study, 81 high‐school students read a text and simultaneously judged 1) the correctness of a set of logical inference statements and 2) their confidence in being correct and the difficulty of judging each statement. In both studies, metacomprehension was not significantly correlated with actual performance. The results indicate that one important source of metacomprehension consists in information processing load. In Study 1, long‐term memory requirements represent this load, in Study 2, the existence of negatives.
Determinants of associative response latency
Authors: FLEKKØY KJELL
Published: May 2008

The relationship between single‐word, free‐association response latency and the following characteristics of Kent‐Rosanoff words were examined: (a) grammatical form class, (b) emotionality, (c) familiarity, and (d) D (the number of different response words given to a stimulus word in a single‐word free‐association situation by a group of subjects). In addition was examined the relationship between response latency and (e) the type of associative linkage constituted by the stimulus‐response combination, and (f) response frequency. Given the limits posed by the present stimulus material, subject material, and analyses performed, the conclusion was reached that single‐word, free‐associative response latency is related primarily to D (r=0.81), secondly to the frequency with which a given stimulus‐response combination occurs in a group of subjects.
Vibrotactile thresholds during background vibration of long duration
Authors: PERTOVAARA ANTTI , HÄMÄLÄINEN HEIKKI
Published: May 2008

Thresholds for vibrotactile stimuli of low and high frequency (20 and 150 Hz) were determined during a long‐lasting (15 min) background stimulus of low or high frequency (40 or 240 Hz). Thresholds for high frequency were markedly elevated during both low and high frequency background stimulation, whereas thresholds for low frequency were elevated only at the beginning of high‐frequency background stimulation. The present results indicate that during activation of the high‐frequency vibrotactile channel it is possible to find both a cross‐channel and a channel specific inhibition depending on the temporal parameters of the background stimulus. The effects of the present low‐frequency background stimulus can be explained on the basis of a minor co‐activation of the high‐frequency channel.
Change and error of measurement
Authors: LUND THORLEIF
Published: May 2008

If average changes in fallible reassures are to be expressed relative to units of variability, it should be to true rather than observed units. Otherwise the change on the less reliable measures will be correspondingly underestimated. Correction formulas for expressing average change in true units are presented and used as an illustration on ability tests. Some other cases necessitating such correction are pointed out.