bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Influence on Motor Control in Reaching
Authors: Ushiyama Michio , Hosokawa Toru , Tanaka Atsushi , Okuzumi Hideyuki
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of objects with different attributes on motor control in the act of reaching for them. Much about reaching has been studied from the point of view of spatial relations between objects and subjects, and kinematic approaches have played an important role in this field. Recently, some researchers have proposed that factors other than spatial relations characterize reaching. Therefore, we focused on reaching for an empty glass (empty condition) and a water-filled glass (filled condition) where the positions of the glasses were the same to examine the importance of the objects when reaching for them. Eight young adults participated. We translated the position of the index finger into X-Y-Z coordinate values and examined movement time, length of trajectory, and velocity between the empty and filled conditions. It took longer to reach for an empty than a filled glass, and the filled condition showed a longer trajectory and slower velocity than the empty condition. This indicated that objects with different attributes influenced the reaching and that the role of cognition of attributes is important in the act of reaching.
Men and Women Holding Hands: II. Whose Hand is Uppermost?
Authors: Chapell Mark S. , Beltran William , Santanello Mark , Takahashi Masami , Bantom Sydney R. , Donovan John S. , Hernandez Sara C. , Oculato Thea M. , Ray Nicole M.
Published: August 2011

Sex differences in the way men and women hold hands were investigated in a series of six studies. Specifically, it was hypothesized that men would have the uppermost hand in male-female couples holding hands in public significantly more often than women. Also, the American couples observed in Study 1 were classified by height, those in Study 2 by age, those in Study 3 by hand preference, those in Study 4 by ethnic group, and those in Study 6 by sex of initiator of the handholding; the handholding couples in Study 5 were Japanese adults. A combined total of 15,008 handholding couples were observed in these six studies, and across differences in height, age, hand preference, ethnicity, culture, and sex of the initiator of handholding in public, men were significantly more likely than women to have the uppermost hand.
Variations in Managers' Styles of Handling Conflict as a Function of Occupational Specialties
Authors: Lamude Kevin G. , Scudder Joseph , Younkin Kevin
Published: August 2011

This study examined how variations in diversity of work unit affect managers' styles of handling conflict Analysis indicated managers of technical work units were more likely than managers of support staffs and middle-line managers to use the aggressive style of conflict with subordinates. Middle-line managers were more likely than managers of technical and support staff work units to use the avoidance style, whereas managers of support staffs were more likely to use the accommodation style.
Validity and Reliability of Visual Ratings of the Vertical Jump
Authors: Knudson Duane
Published: August 2011

The validity and reliability of visual estimates of the kinematics of the vertical jump as would be common in qualitative analysis of human movement was studied. Sagittal plane videotapes of 12 females performing vertical jumps were rated on two occasions by three samples of subjects: 6 basketball coaches, 10 kinesiology students, and 5 kinesiology professors. Visual ratings were compared to values quantified by biomechanical analysis using the Peak Performance Technologies system. Assistant collegiate basketball coaches were unable to rate discrete body angles in the vertical jump accurately or consistently. Six of 10 college student raters could accurately and consistently rate over-all range of motion. Since only one of the kinesiology professors could accurately and consistently rate range of motion compared to the majority of the students, professional experience did not affect the ability to rate range of motion in the vertical jump in these subjects.
Spacing Effects on the Memory for Faces
Authors: Kitao Norihiko , Kihara Kayoko
Published: August 2011

25 undergraduate women studied 12 stimulus pictures of female faces successively presented in spaced or massed conditions and made affective judgements for the pictures along a dimension of like to dislike. One week after the exposure (study) period, subjects were given an identification test comprised of photographs of the same female faces with different expressions. Analysis showed that the pictures presented in the spaced condition were more frequently and accurately identified than those presented under the massed condition and that affective judgment was unrelated to conditions of presentation.
From Unidentified to ‘Misidentified’ Newborn: Male Bias in Recognition of Sex
Authors: Nagy Emese , Németh Erzsébet , Molnár Péter
Published: August 2011

Our study tests in newborns the perceptual bias described in 1979 by Hildebrandt and Fitzgerald in recognizing the sex of infants, using videorecords instead of still photographs. Analysis showed a tendency for young adults to perceive newborn infants as male immediately after birth, and this perceptual bias diminished if the babies smile.
Coactivation, Pop-Out, and Symmetry Affect Line Discrimination
Authors: Friedenberg Jay
Published: August 2011

17 college students discriminated between vertical and horizontal target lines flanked by vertical and horizontal distractors. Large displays with 3.0-cm lines and small displays half this size were used. The distractors were positioned above and below the target or to the left and right of it, forming vertical and horizontal global orientations. The number of flankers sharing the target's orientation was varied. Vertical targets and small display sizes were processed more quickly. Speed of responding did not differ for the two global orientations. There was no advantage for target lines consistent with global orientation. The results were replicated in Exp. 2 with diagonal flankers. This supports an explanation using stimulus compatibility, since diagonal lines do not correspond to either of the response options and cannot induce a tendency to respond more to one target than another. Displays with multiple symmetry were responded to faster than those with a single symmetry which were faster than asymmetrical displays, supporting the idea that symmetrical axes parallel and perpendicular to the target orientation provide a facilitative frame of reference. Coactivation from same-oriented flankers, pop-out from differences in orientation, and symmetry all influenced responding in these patterns.
A Lower Incidence of Left-Handed Writing among Young Adults in Bulgaria than in the USA
Authors: Pollard Richard
Published: August 2011

The incidence of left-handed writing among 590 young Bulgarian adults was 6.4%, significantly lower than that reported in two studies of students in the United States. Of those writing with the right hand, 10.8% stated that they had been forced to change their preferred hand for writing. The parents of the Bulgarian sample had a similar low incidence of left-handed writing (5.9%). Left-handed writing was almost three times more likely if one or both of the parents wrote with the left hand.
Additional Study of the Youth–Depression Adjective Check List
Authors: Lubin Bernard , Cameron Kay , Van Whitlock Rodney , Carey Michael P.
Published: August 2011

Replicated and extended aspects of determinations of reliability and validity for the State version of the Youth-Depression Adjective Check List. Students from Grades 9 through 12 (64 girls and 41 boys) completed the State version and the Adolescent Activities Checklist on each of 12 consecutive days and completed the Trait version, the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List–Revised Grade 6, and the Adolescent Activities Checklist at the beginning and the end of the study. Good reliability and validity of the State version were confirmed and extended, and preliminary information on characteristics of the Trait version of the Youth–Depression Adjective Check List also was presented. The State version seems suitable for use in research with adolescents and preadolescents. More study of the Trait version is recommended.
Evidence for a Third Factor on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule in a College Student Sample
Authors: Killgore William D. Scott
Published: August 2011

The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) was originally developed to measure two orthogonal dimensions of affect. The present study examined the factor structure of the PANAS in a sample of 302 undergraduates. Maximum Likelihood factor analysis was used to compare two- and three-factor solutions to self-rated affect. The two-factor solution resulted in confirmation of the two factors of Positive and Negative Affect hypothesized to underlie the schedule. When, however, a three-factor solution was specified, the Positive Affect factor was retained, while the Negative Affect factor split into two lower-order factors generally consistent with the Upset and Afraid factors described by Mehrabian in 1997. These findings highlight the need for research to consider the possible influence of a third affective dimension, such as Dominance–Submissiveness on self-rated affective experience.
Future Time Perspective and Positive Health Practices among Young Adolescents: A Further Extension
Authors: Mahon Noreen E. , Yarcheski Thomas J. , Yarcheski Adela
Published: August 2011

A sample of 139 young adolescents attending a middle school responded to the Future Time Perspective Inventory and the Personal Lifestyle Questionnaire in classrooms. A statistically significant correlation of .46 was found between their scores on future time perspective and ratings for the practice of positive health behaviors. This correlation was larger than those previously reported for middle and late adolescents but smaller than that found for young adults.
Color Discrimination under Chronic Hypoxic Conditions (Simulated Climb “Everest-Comex 97”)
Authors: Bouquet C. , Gardette B. , Gortan C. , Therme P. , Abraini J. H.
Published: August 2011

Hypoxia is known to alter visual functions. In the present study, the effects of chronic hypobaric hypoxia upon visual color discrimination were studied in 8 subjects participating in a simulated climb from sea level (PO2 = 210 hPa) to 8,848 m (PO2 = 70 hPa) over a 31-day period of confinement in a decompression chamber (‘Everest-Comex 97’). During these investigations, the subjects were required to discriminate between colors of different hue in the red, blue, and green ranges. Alterations in color discrimination increased slightly but significantly as altitude increased. Impairments occurred mainly in the red and blue ranges. In addition, our results further indicate that color discrimination would be affected only when a minimum threshold of difference between color stimuli is not present. Methodological and physiological implications are discussed.
Implications of the Symbol Figure Representations: Information from the Direction and Spatial Location Used by Japanese Students
Authors: Hatta Takeshi
Published: August 2011

Meanings of physical distance, spatial location, and direction of symbolic figure in the Doll Location Test were investigated with 283 normal college students in Japan. They were asked to indicate eight symbolic figures of hypothetical people such as reliable father, unreliable mother on a recording sheet. The physical dyadic distance from the self, spatial location, and direction of symbolic figures were analyzed. Positive persons were placed twice as close as a negative person. Analysis of direction showed that more than 90% of the positive people were represented in either the same direction as or facing self, whereas a negative person was represented either in the opposite or in an unrelated direction from the self. Spatial location of the symbolic figures did not yield evaluative values.
Relationship of Visual Motor Development and Academic Performance of Young Children in Hong Kong Assessed on the Bender-Gestalt Test
Authors: Chan Po Wah
Published: August 2011

This study compared the Qualitative Scoring System for the Modified Version of the Bender-Gestalt test and the Developmental Scoring System for the Bender-Gestalt test in predicting performance on the Standardized Attainment Test of young children in Hong Kong. The study was done in two phases. First, 748 middle class children ages 4 to 8 years from 6 kindergartens and 6 primary schools were given the Bender-Gestalt test individually in kindergarten and in groups for older children, respectively. Both scoring systems were used to measure the children's visual motor development. Second, among the participants' protocols, 257 Primary 1 to Primary 3 children ages 6 to 8 years were selected to compare the Qualitative Scoring System for the 6 designs of the Modified Version of the Bender-Gestalt test and the Developmental Scoring System for the 9 designs of the Bender-Gestalt test in predicting performance on the Standardized Attainment Test. Results indicated that the Qualitative Scoring System differentiates better than the Developmental Scoring System in evaluating visual-motor development among young Chinese children from Hong Kong. Results also indicated that the Qualitative Scoring System correlated significantly with achievement in Chinese and English at all three levels. Scores on the Developmental Scoring System correlated significantly with only marks for Primary 1 and Primary 2 Chinese.
Use of Subjective Estimation in Motor Skill Tests of Young Children: Judgment Based on Observation of Behavior in Daily Life
Authors: Goshi Fumio , Kasuga Kosho , Demura Shinichi , Sato Susumu , Minami Masaki
Published: August 2011

This study assessed what motor skill tests were appropriate by observing 636 young children's behavior in daily life (low-aged classes, M = 3.7 yr.; middle-aged classes, M = 4.7 yr.; high-aged classes, M = 5.7 yr.). A homeroom teacher and an assistant teacher estimated motor achievement as pass-or-fail, and then judged pass-or-fail based on practical testing. Estimate-re-estimate agreement, interrater agreement, and agreement between estimated values and measured values were examined for 27 items, e.g., skipping, bouncing a ball, and turning on one leg. Estimate-re-estimate agreement was high on the whole. Interrater agreement ranged from 34% to 100% for 3-yr.-olds, 21% to 100% for 4-yr.-olds, and 89% to 100% for 5-yr.-olds. Agreement between estimated values and measured values greater than 80% was found in most items for 5-yr.olds (14 items). After examining the above-mentioned agreements, 26 items were selected as possible tests to judge motor development, using a pass-or-fail, from the observation of young children's behavior in daily life.
Cattell 16 Personality Profiles of Patients following Closed-Head Injuries
Authors: Persinger M. A.
Published: August 2011

The personality scores from Cattell's 16 PF for 188 patients who had been referred for neuropsychological assessment following motor vehicle incidents were analyzed as a function of the severity of neuropsychological impairment (Halstead-Reitan Index) and time since the injury. Patients who were impaired (Index >0.4) exhibited lower scores on Factor B (more concrete thinking), Factor E (more submissive), and Factor F (more cautious) than patients who were not impaired. The presence of impairment accommodated only 10% of the variance in Factor E scores, associated with the largest group difference. There were no significant differences between scores on any of the personality factors, verbal intelligence, or standardized reading ability as a function of time since the injury.
Use of Photic Feedback as an Adjunct Treatment in a Case of Miller Fisher Syndrome
Authors: Kamei Tsutomu , Toriumi Yoshitaka , Kumano Hiroaki , Fukada Masuyuki , Matsumoto Tadashi
Published: August 2011

Photic Feedback treatment of a patient diagnosed with Miller Fisher syndrome has resulted in the rapid and permanent remission of symptoms. During Photic Feedback treatment, the CD20 appeared to be slighty increased. This may have been associated with changes in humoral immunity. The present clinical observation of a single patient suggests that Photic Feedback treatment should be investigated as a possible adjunct therapy for patients who suffer from polyneuropathies, such as Miller Fisher syndrome, within a carefully controlled clinical trial.
Attribution of Meaning from Movement of Simple Objects
Authors: Gyulai Elisabetta
Published: August 2011

Many researchers claim that attribution of meaning to movement is based prevalently on the properties of the kinetic pattern. Using a constant kinetic pattern, the present study examined the possible influence of shape, size, luminance, and hue of the moving objects on the attribution of meaning. A significant influence of the shape and luminance of the moving objects on the expressivity of the kinetic pattern was found. This influence is probably due to the fact that the kinetic conditions were not unequivocal and specific and so easily influenced by some figurai properties. The hue and size of the moving objects seemed instead to have little importance in the attribution of meaning to movement. The need for further investigation to assess the influence of the properties of the kinetic pattern on the perception of a mechanical, intentional, or expressive event is suggested.
Grip-Strength Performances by 6- to 19-Yr.-Old Children with and without Hearing Impairments
Authors: Ellis Kathleen , Butterfield Stephen A. , Lehnhard Robert A.
Published: August 2011

86 children and youth enrolled at a residential school for the deaf were matched with 86 children and youth with normal hearing (by age, sex, height, weight, and hand preference) from four public schools. Each participant's grip strength was tested with a calibrated hydraulic dynamometer set at the second position. No significant between-group differences were observed. The authors attributed the similar between-group performances to the equal opportunities for participation in sport and physical education in this residential school.
Effects of Music on Mood during Bench Stepping Exercise
Authors: Hayakawa Yohko , Takada Kayoko , Miki Hiromi , Tanaka Kiyoji
Published: August 2011

This study evaluated the effect of music on the mood of women during exercise. 16 middle-aged women, aged 49.9±7.53 yr., performed 60-min. bench stepping exercise while listening to Japanese traditional folk song, aerobic dance music, or nonmusic. The subjects reported significantly Jess fatigue with aerobic dance music and Japanese traditional folk song than with nonmusic. Aerobic dance music was associated with significantly more vigor and less confusion than nonmusic.
Pencil Lead Diameter Affects Response Sheet Completion Time
Authors: Gordon B. Heath , Velkey Andrew J.
Published: August 2011

The effect of pencil lead diameter on the completion time of a multiple-choice response sheet was examined. Participants used three pencil lead diameters (.5 mm, .9 mm, and a standard No. 2 pencil) to fill in “bubbles” on response sheets in one experiment; a .7-mm pencil was substituted for the No. 2 pencil in Exp. 2. Participants using a .5-mm pencil completed response sheets more slowly than when using a 7-mm, .9-mm, or a No. 2 pencil.
External Motivators of Self-Touching Behavior
Authors: Heaven Laura , McBrayer Dan
Published: August 2011

Previous research has shown that nonverbal self-touching behaviors can be induced by external motivators such as videos and literary passages about insects. This study investigated whether the number of self-touching behaviors differed between presentation of what was assumed to be an anxiety-inducing stimulus (listening to the reading of a passage about leeches and answering questions) or a nonanxiety-inducing stimulus (a passage about canaries). It also investigated whether there was a difference in frequency of self-touching when subjects were passively listening to passages or actively answering questions. The difference in frequency of self-touching between men and women was also observed. Over-all, subjects did not perform significantly more self-touching gestures during the anxiety-inducing stimulus than during the nonanxiety-inducing, as previous research had indicated Subjects did touch themselves significantly more, however, while answering questions than while listening to the passage. Over-all, men performed significantly more self-touching behaviors than women. And, women touched themselves significantly more during the active anxiety-inducing cell than in any other condition.
Field Dependence versus Field Independence of Students with and without Learning Disabilities
Authors: Huang Jianyi , Chao Li
Published: August 2011

The Group Embedded Figures Test of Oltman, Raskin, and Witkin was administered to 60 high school students (30 with learning disabiliues and 30 without learning disabilities) to measure their cognitive styles of field dependence versus field independence. The analysis showed that the students with learning disabilities scored as more field dependent than those without learning disabilities.
Overestimation of the Effectiveness of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation as a Function of CPR Certification Level
Authors: Bradley Drake R. , Abrams Julie , Tangel Lyndsey
Published: August 2011

67 college students holding three different levels of certification in CPR estimated the survival rates of people given this procedure. Students not certified in CPR estimated the survival rate to be 51.2%, those previously certified estimated 43.8%, and those currently certified estimated 27.0%. Although knowledge of CPR was associated with greater accuracy, all three groups significantly overestimated the actual survival rate of 10%.
Comparative Analysis of Different Correction Methods for Measuring Rod-and-Frame Test Performance
Authors: Tinajero C. , Páramo M. F. , Quiroga M. A. , Rodríguez-González J.
Published: August 2011

A comparative analysis was conducted of five different methods for scoring the Rod-and-Frame Test to examine the convergent validities of each of the five methods with performance on the Embedded Figures Test for a sample of 408 13- to 16-yr.-olds. The scoring methods included the absolute error, the algebraic error, the absolute value of the algebraic error, the frame effect, and an assessment of relative field dependence. Correlations obtained among the five methods and the Embedded Figures Test indicated different patterns for boys and girls. In general, the method which employed the absolute value of the algebraic error yielded the strongest convergent validity coefficients with scores on the Embedded Figures Test and Group Embedded Figures Test for boys (.62 and –.54, respectively), although, for girls, the absolute algebraic error and absolute error both yielded coefficients of .50 with Embedded Figures Test scores and –.46 with Group Embedded Figures Test scores.
Loneliness and Adaptation among Second-Generation Portuguese Migrants to France: Roles of Perceived Responsibility and Control
Authors: Neto Félix
Published: August 2011

This study explores the association of perceived responsibility for loneliness and perceived control over loneliness on social adaptation and psychological adaptation among 109 second-generation Portuguese migrants to France. Analysis showed that rated perceived control was more highly associated with scores on social adaptation and psychological adaptation than perceived responsibility.
Response Amendment in Fencing: Differences between Elite and Novice Subjects
Authors: Williams L. R. T. , Walmsley A.
Published: August 2011

Reaction time (RT), movement time (MT), total response time (RMT), and accuracy of 3 elite and 3 novice fencers were studied under a dual-response paradigm requiring a full lunge. Electromyographic activity (EMG) from selected arm and leg muscles was used to compare response profiles of the two groups. Although the elite subjects had slower MTs, their faster RTs resulted in significantly shorter total response times. The EMG analysis showed that in comparison to the novice subjects, onset of muscle activity was significantly faster for the elite group in five of the six muscles studied. In addition, the elite subjects showed more coherent muscle synergies and more consistent patterns of muscle coordination. Although the requirement to change targets (signalled by the arrival of a second stimulus) led to slightly more target misses for the elite group, the overall frequency was low, which indicates that it did not pose difficulty for either group. The present findings show that measures of response timing and neuromuscular coordination differentiate skill level in the fencing lunge and draw attention to practical implications for skill assessment and training.
A New Conceptual Model of Asymmetry in Motor Performance for Bidimensional Fast-Oscillating Movements in Selected Variants of Performance
Authors: Gutnik B. J. , Nicholson J. , Nash D.
Published: August 2011

Spatial characteristics and lateral differences between two upper extremities were investigated in unilateral graphical tasks involving fast oscillating movements in the vertical plane based on the model of restricted (less than 10°) horizontal abduction-adduction in the shoulder joint. The spatial locations of reversal points were used to identify two groups of motor performance: with big angles and gross vertical vectors (stretched accordion group), and small projectile angles with small vertical vectors (compressed accordion group). Both groups appeared in right and left arm performance. The former group had a strong pattern of distribution of big and small projectile angles which reflects a particular variant of execution with a significant difference between angles and intermittent big and small angles (BB). Two other variants of execution relating to specific angular patterns of performance were identified in the compressed accordion group: one (Bs) showed a big difference between big and small angles but without intermittence; the other (ss) had only small differences between magnitudes of angles. The Bs variant of execution was observed only in left-handed performance, whilst ss was typical of both extremities. The performances affiliated to the stretched accordion group with the BB variant of execution mostly operated with reciprocal cooperation between alterations of X and Y vectors for the right arm. Performance related to the same group with the Bs variant of execution used concurrent collaboration involving alteration of these vectors for the left arm. The compressed accordion group which deployed the ss variant of execution mostly displayed concurrent alteration of vectors irrespective of the side of performance. It is suggested that the spatial movement strategies might reflect several different schemes of motor control wherein coupling of oscillators controls vertical and horizontal movements. It is also proposed that specific subunits of the functional system of nervous elements responsible for the expression of spatial derivatives of motor programmes may exist at lower levels of the CNS and might be initiated by the left brain or by the cooperative activity of the left and right hemispheres.
Comparison of Health Promotion and Deterrent Prompts in Increasing Use of Stairs over Escalators
Authors: Russell William D. , Hutchinson Jasmin
Published: August 2011

This study compared the effectiveness of two point-of-decision prompts within the same environmental setting. The effects of a health promotion sign were compared with activity change resulting from a deterrent sign. Individuals were observed using the upward stairs or upward escalator at a midwest regional airport during a 5-week period in which intervention signs were compared with no-sign conditions on activity choice. During Weeks 1, 3, and 5 behaviors were assessed without any prompts. During Week 2, a health promotion sign was posted at the behavioral choice point which read “Keep your heart healthy, use the stairs.” During Week 4, a deterrent sign which read “Please limit escalator use to staff and those unable to use the stairs” was posted at the same behavioral choice point. Younger (<40) women (14.8%) and men (10.8%) used the stairs more frequently, followed by older women (9.3%) and older men (6.9%). A hierarchical log linear analysis showed that stair use increased during both interventions, which was significantly moderated by age. Point-of-decision prompts appear to be effective environmental interventions for promoting increases in physical activity.
Satisfaction with Life Scale: Analysis of Factorial Invariance for Adolescents and Elderly Persons
Authors: Pons Diana , Atienza Francisco L. , Balaguer Isabel , García-Merita María L.
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this work is to analyze the factorial invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale across samples of adolescents and elderly persons. Data from 266 subjects were analyzed. Half were Spanish junior high-school students (65 girls and 68 boys) and the other half were Spanish elderly people (68 women and 65 men). Single-group analyses showed an acceptable one-factor model for both adolescent and elderly groups. Sequential multigroup analyses to test the equivalence of factor structures for adolescent and elderly groups showed that factor loadings and variances are not invariant. The scale is sensitive to age in these groups.
Spatial Complexity in Children's Language
Authors: Weist Richard M. , Lymburner Nicole L. , Piotrowski Scott , Stoddard Jessica L.
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this research was to explore the properties of locative scenes which influence the sequence of the acquisition of spatial prepositions in English. Children ranging in age from about 2;8 to 5;6 were tested with a comprehension test involving a sentence-picture matching task. The comprehension test contained six kinds of spatial contrasts which were judged to vary in the geometric complexity of the scene. The order of acquisition was as follows: (1) into/out of & onto/off of, (2) in Ion, (3) into/onto & out of/off of and through/over (around), (4) between X & Y/Y & Z, and (5) across/along. Complexity depends on a number of factors such as the number of referent objects and the nature of the relationship between the object to be located and the critical feature of the referent object. Prepositions which involve a more complex spatial geometry are more difficult for young children to comprehend. It was argued that the sequence of acquisition is partially determined by the course of conceptual development.
Judgments of Grammaticality of Sentences with a Differing Number of Arguments: A Comparison of English and Japanese Speakers
Authors: Nagata Hiroshi , Bain Bruce
Published: August 2011

This study explored native speakers' linguistic intuition as revealed in judging the grammaticality of sentences. Speakers of English ( n = 36) and Japanese ( n = 57) judged the relative grammaticality of sentences involving a verb which occurred together with one, two or three arguments. Findings showed that English speakers were more affected by the number of arguments in sentences. They judged sentences having three arguments as grammatical most often and ones having one or two arguments as grammatical less often However, Japanese speakers gave rather similar and more grammatical judgments regardless of the number of arguments in sentences. The findings indicate a difference in tightness of argument structure in the two languages even when the sentences judged are simple sentences and they are given without any sentential context.
Validation of a Single-Item Measure of Usual Physical Activity
Authors: Li Suling , Carlson Elizabeth , Holm Karyn
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of a single-item measure of Usual Physical Activity and to assess its usefulness as a physical activity tool for perimenopausal women. 188 perimenopausal women participated (age: M = 47 yr., SD = 3; range = 40–55). Data were collected using the Women's Health Assessment Scale, the Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Perimenopause-related Quality of Life Scale, a health history and demographic questionnaire, and the rater. Scores were stable over a 2-wk. interval. Convergent validity was supported by a correlation of .66 between ratings on Usual Physical Activity and the Physical Activity Questionnaire. Concurrent validity was supported by the association of the rating of Usual Physical Activity with three parameters of Body Mass Index, psychosomatic symptoms, and perimenopause-related quality of life, known to be associated with physical activity. Highly active women had a lower Body Mass Index than less active and inactive women. Active women tended to report fewer and less distressing psychosomatic symptoms and better quality of life. These findings support the use of rating of Usual Physical Activity to classify perimenopausal women into categories of physical activity.
Correlates of Rates of Suicide and Homicide Committed by Different Methods
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

The social correlates of suicide rates by each method over rime in the USA from 1950 to 1985 were very different, suggesting that suicides by different methods may not be sociologically identical behaviors. Homicide rates by each method, however, showed a more consistent pattern of social correlates.
Actors', Partners', and Observers' Perceptions of Sarcasm
Authors: Rockwell Patricia
Published: August 2011

This study compared actors', partners', and observers' perceptions of the amount of sarcasm used by participants ( n = 80) in videotaped conversations. Significant differences were found among perceptions of actors, partners, and observers. Of the three perspectives, actors perceived themselves as using the greatest amount of sarcasm, followed by partners' perceptions of actors. Observers perceived actors as using the least amount of sarcasm. Correlations conducted to assess whether partners and observers recognized actors' individual attempts at sarcasm during the conversations were generally low.
Trait Anxiety among Students in a College Golf Class
Authors: Cunningham George B.
Published: August 2011

This study examined trait anxiety among students ( N = 80) participating in a beginning golf activity class. Analysis showed no differences in anxiety scores by sex or playing experience; however, performance differences were noted as students with moderate scores performed better on golf evaluations than did those with high anxiety scores. Research should be directed to assess students' perceptions of anxiety and its effects.
Effects of Slow Tempo Exercise on Respiration, Heart Rate, and Mood State
Authors: Naruse Kumi , Hirai Takane
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate psychophysiologic responses to slow movement tempo exercise in three experiments. Exps. 1 and 2 were designed to compare slow with preferred movement tempos chosen freely by the subjects. The task movements in Exp. 1 were repetitive Arm Swinging, Stepping, and Body Swaying, performed by 14 female undergraduate students, while in Exp. 2, Body Swaying and Arm Winding were performed by 10 female undergraduate students and 13 boys and girls junior high school students. Respiration, heart rate, and scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were measured. Analysis showed respiration rates were lower during slow tempo conditions than preferred conditions. Exp. 3 was designed to compare very slow with slow movement tempos, using a Tai Chi-type of movement performed by 6 female undergraduate students. The subjects were required to synchronize the task movement with auditory stimuli, during which respiration and heart rate were measured, and a UWIST Mood-Adjective Checklist was utilized. Under the very slow movement conditions, Energetic Arousal scores were lower than those for the slow movement and the variation of respiration between rest and task conditions corresponded inversely with the Tense Arousal scores. Together, our results suggest that slow tempo exercise does not increase physiological or psychological arousal.
Preliminary Study of Associations between Objective Parameters of Facial Electromyography and Subjective Estimates of Taste Palatability
Authors: Hu Senqi , Luo Yue-Jia , Hui Lumei
Published: August 2011

20 subjects' palatability reports and facial electromyographic (EMG) activities at the zygomaticus major, corrugator supercilli, and levator labii (superioris/alaeque nasi) regions were recorded while they were tasting water or pickle juice. The results showed that subjects reported significantly higher ratings of palatability to water than to pickle juice. The EMG activities at the levator labii region generated significantly higher power than those at the corrugator supercilli region while tasting water. The EMG activities at the levator labii region generated significantly higher power than those at the corrugator supercilli region and those at the zygomaticus major region while tasting pickle juice. It was concluded that the facial EMG activity at the levator labii region was the most sensitive indicator of palatability.
The Pace of Life and Suicide
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

The pace of life was not associated with the suicide rate in 25 nations of the world in the early 1990s.
Unemployment and Suicide over Nine Regions in England and Wales
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

Unemployment and suicide were negatively associated over the nine major regions of England and Wales in 1990.
Psychophysical Power Functions for Apparent Area in Perceptive, Memory, and Inference Conditions for Observers of Different Age Groups
Authors: Alliprandini Paula M. Z. , Da Silva José A.
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this research was to verify the effect of age on the exponent of the power function in Perceptive, Memory, and Inference experimental conditions. In the Memory condition the intervals of 2 min., 8, 24, and 48 hr. and 1 wk. were used between acquisition of information and remembering. For each experimental condition the ages of observers ranged between 17 and 35 years (Group I), 40–55 years (Group II), and 60–77 years (Group III), and education ranged from high school to graduate school. The observers estimated the areas of the Brazilian states using the psychophysical method of magnitude estimation. No significant differences were obtained for Groups I, II, and III for each experimental condition, except in the Memory Condition with the 24-hr. interval. Analysis for experimental conditions and ages showed a significant difference between the Perceptive Condition and each of the others, but no difference between the Inference and Memory Conditions. These results indicated that in the remembering processes there is no loss of information as a function of age. From the small variability in the power function exponents for the three ages, we may assume that age could be related to amount of education of the observers, which suggests study is important.
Contacting the Dead and National Character
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

In a sample of 11 European nations, the proportion of residents who reported experiencing contact with the dead was positively associated with Lynn and Hampson's measure of national estimates of neuroticism.
Are Simple Line-Length Estimation Tasks Productive for Examining Temporal Locus of Knowledge of Results?
Authors: Becker Paul W.
Published: August 2011

Evidence suggests that studies employing a wide range of task complexity may best show that measures of delayed knowledge of results, post-KR interval, and intertrial interval produce optimal performance.
Conversion Disorder and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: A Comparative Study of Psychological Defense Strategies
Authors: Henningsson Mikael , Sundbom Elisabet
Published: August 2011

This study compared psychological defensive strategies in two groups of patients with multiple chemical sensitivity ( n=10) and conversion disorder ( n = 10) by means of the projective perceptual Defense Mechanism Test. We attempted to create a model for personality assessment based on the test data of prior patients, in which new patients could successively be tested. The overall results indicated that it was possible to separate the clinical groups significantly from a control group and from each other. In comparison to the controls, the clinical groups were characterized by patterns that were more nonemotionally adapted as well by a lateness of perception, but the ways in which the clinical groups maintained this difference were not the same. The multiple chemical sensitivity group was characterized above all by blocking maneuvers, while the main defensive strategy of the conversion disorder group was distortion of content.
The Emotional Importance of Key: Do Beatles Songs Written in Different Keys Convey Different Emotional Tones?
Authors: Whissell Robert , Whissell Cynthia
Published: August 2011

Lyrics from 155 songs written by the Lennon-McCartney team were scored using the Dictionary of Affect in Language. Resultant scores (pleasantness, activation, and imagery of words) were compared across key signatures using one way analyses of variance. Words from songs written in minor keys were less pleasant and less active than those from songs written in major keys. Words from songs written in the key of F scored extremely low on all three measures. Lyrics from the keys of C, D, and G were relatively active in tone. Results from Dictionary scoring were compared with assignments of character to keys made more than one century ago and with current musicians' opinions.
Sex Differences on a Computerized Mental Rotation Task Disappear with Computer Familiarization
Authors: Roberts Jonathan E. , Bell Martha Ann
Published: August 2011

The area of cognitive research that has produced the most consistent sex differences is spatial ability. Particularly, men consistently perform better on mental rotation tasks than do women. This study examined the effects of familiarization with a computer on performance of a computerized two-dimensional mental rotation task. Two groups of college students ( N = 44) performed the rotation task, with one group performing a color-matching task that allowed them to be familiarized with the computer prior to the rotation task. Among the participants who only performed the rotation task, the 11 men performed better than the 11 women. Among the participants who performed the computer familiarization task before the rotation task, however, there were no sex differences on the mental rotation task between the 10 men and 12 women. These data indicate that sex differences on this two-dimensional task may reflect familiarization with the computer, not the mental rotation component of the task. Further research with larger samples and increased range of task difficulty is encouraged.
Effects of Hypnosis on Flow States and Golf Performance
Authors: Pates John , Maynard Ian
Published: August 2011

This study examined the effects of an hypnotic intervention on flow states and golf-chipping performance of 3 participants. The study utilized an ideographic ABA single-subject design combined with a procedure to assess the participants' internal experience (Wollman, 1986). The intervention involved relaxation, imagery, hypnotic induction, hypnotic regression, and trigger control procedures over 5 wk. and 7 trials. Analysis indicated the 3 participants increased their mean golf-chipping performance from the trials in Baseline 1 to intervention, with 2 returning to Baseline 1 performance after the intervention phase at Baseline 2. The intensity of flow experienced by the participants during the performance trials was measured using Jackson and Marsh's 1996 Flow State Scale. Two participants experienced higher flow during the intervention phase and much lower flow during Baselines 1 and 2. Finally, participants indicated the intervention seemed useful in keeping them confident, relaxed, and in control. These results support the hypothesis that an hypnotic intervention can improve golf-chipping performance and increase feelings and cognitions associated with flow.
Manipulations of Sensory Information: A Test of the Hypothesis of Redundancy of Knowledge of Results
Authors: Lane Craig A. , Fischman Mark G. , Hart Melanie A. , Reeve T. Gilmour
Published: August 2011

The hypothesis of redundancy in knowledge of results was examined by manipulating the amount and location of sensory information available to participants performing a coincident anticipation timing task. Either the last 8 lights or the last 16 lights of the visual display were visible to 48 participants. Following an acquisition phase, learning was tested over immediate (5-min.) and delayed (24-hr.) retention intervals. The main finding was that performance was better when knowledge of results was present, regardless of the amount of sensory information available; therefore, knowledge of results was not redundant information for learning this task.
Perceptions of People Who Stutter: Re-Assessing the Negative Stereotype
Authors: Klassen Thomas R.
Published: August 2011

A common finding of past research is that people who stutter are stereotyped as being more guarded, nervous, self-conscious, tense, sensitive, hesitant, introverted, and insecure than nonstutterers. Using an innovative survey method, two questions studied were (1) whether individuals who have on going contact with the same stutterer share the negative stereotype identified by past research, and (2) whether there are differences in perceptions of speech fluency between stutterers and their listeners. Responses of 114 friends and colleagues of stutterers found those who had on-going contact with at least one stutterer have less stereotypical attitudes than the general population, and significant differences in perceptions about normalcy of speech were noted for people who stutter and those with whom they interact.
Spatial Perspective-Taking Errors in Children
Authors: Wallace James R. , Allan Kristi L. , Tribol Cynthia T.
Published: August 2011

Spatial perspective-taking was examined in 49 children between the ages of 3.3 and 10.9 yr. Participants completed (a) a screening test in which they matched pictures of a scene to the actual scene and (b) procedures designed to differentiate four types of spatial errors: left-right, before-behind, egocentric, and random. Among those who passed the screening test the most common mistake was to choose a picture that depicted a left-right reversal of the scene, and there were relatively few egocentric errors. Even our youngest group made mistakes on only 21% of the trials that tested for egocentric responses. The pattern of results implied that perspective reversals of left and right were the likely origin of many mistakes that have been interpreted as egocentric in previous research.
Central and Peripheral Visual Reaction Time of Soccer Players and Nonathletes
Authors: Ando Soichi , Kida Noriyuki , Oda Shingo
Published: August 2011

Visual Reaction Time (RT) was measured by presenting three different sizes of stimulus to the central and peripheral fields of vision in 6 soccer players and 6 nonathletes. An electromyogram was recorded from the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle of the responding forearm. Peripheral visual RT was longer in comparison to central visual RT due to an increment in Premotor Time. The soccer players showed shorter Premotor Times during central and peripheral visual RT tasks than nonathletes, suggesting that the soccer players are better able to respond quickly to a stimulus presented to peripheral as well as central positions.