bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Sport Orientation Questionnaire and the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire in a Japanese Sport Setting
Authors: Wakayama Hiroaki , Watanabe Eiji , Inomata Kimihiro
Published: August 2011

This study examined sport achievement orientation within the Japanese sport setting. 1,836 male and 425 Female athletes ( M age = 18.6 yr.) from 47 sports completed the Japanese version of the Sport Orientation Questionnaire (24 items), and 1,781 males and 421 females ( M age=18.6 yr.) from 47 sports completed that of the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (14 items). While the original English versions of the questionnaires are composed of three and two factors, respectively, present exploratory factor analyses identified four factors in the Sport Orientation Questionnaire and three in the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire. In this study, two types of the SOQ Competitiveness and the TEOSQ Ego Orientation emerged even though the original versions included only one type. A one-way analysis of variance indicated that sex differences were significant for all subscales. Sex differences in the Sport Orientation Questionnaire of Japanese resembled those of Americans, The overall factor reliability and validity based on the sample suggested that the modified Japanese versions of the two questionnaires can be valuable in the investigation of sport achievement orientation in Japanese sport and exercise settings.
Specificity of Practice in Acquisition of the Technique of O-Soto-Gari in Judo
Authors: Gomes Fabio R. F. , Franchini Emerson , Meira Cassio M. , Tani Go
Published: August 2011

Retention and transfer of the technique of o-soto-gari by 32 9-yr.-old children was optimized by conditions of acquisition similar to those of competition.
Correlations for Scores on Conceptions of Mathematics and Approaches to Learning Mathematics
Authors: Alkhateeb Haitham M.
Published: August 2011

This study reports research on associations of conceptions of mathematics and approaches to learning it. Scores on 63 men's and 69 women's, undergraduate students, conceptions of mathematics were associated with their approaches to learning mathematics.
Misremembering the Appearance of Common Objects: Further Cross-Cultural Confirmation
Authors: Hughes Brian M.
Published: August 2011

The finding that people have surprisingly poor memory for the details of commonly used coins was replicated using a heretofore unstudied currency (the Irish Punt). The accuracy of 241 undergraduates in psychology in identifying a true coin from among a selection of similar fakes was low (41.9%), in line with findings from several other countries.
Students' Perceptions of Being Graded as a Group in the College Classroom: Relations among Students' Age, Employment, and Perceived Group Satisfaction
Authors: Barfield Rufus L.
Published: August 2011

This investigation compared and measured for different age groups of students, hours of employment, and previous grading experiences of one student cohort in relation to their perceived overall satisfaction with being graded as a group. A cohort of 230 students from a large southern metropolitan university enrolled in sections of two undergraduate classes, Group Interaction and Decision Making and Conflict Management, participated. Analysis indicated that (a) older students (28–47 years) were more likely to be dissatisfied with a group grade experience than middle (23–27 years) and younger (18–22 years) students, (b) Older students working part time were significantly more dissatisfied with the overall group experience than the younger part-time working students, (c) Older part-time working students were significantly more dissatisfied with the overall experience of working and being graded as a group than the middle part-time and middle full-time working students. Differences were noted between the older and younger students, which supported Older students' overall dissatisfaction with their experience of being graded as a group. Common complaints by older students were that younger students were immature, irresponsible, lacked “real-life” experience, and had misplaced priorities. Common complaints by younger students were that older students were too serious and rigid. It is recommended that this work be extended to include other comparison groups, graduate students, and other disciplines.
Are Undergraduate Examinees' Perceptions of Item Difficulty Related to Item Characteristics?
Authors: Morse David T. , Morse Linda V.
Published: August 2011

The present study assessed whether selected item characteristics—difficulty for the group, corrected item-total correlation, cognitive level, and difficulty for the examinee—relate to judgment of item difficulty. Undergraduate students in two classes ( ns = 76, 43) identified what they believed were the five easiest and five most difficult items on a multiple-choice test. Statistically significant correlations were observed for difficulty for the group and the frequency that items were chosen as easy as well as with frequency of items chosen as difficult. Students performed significantly better on items they chose as easy than those chosen as difficult. Items chosen as easy more often called for simple, factual recall than did items chosen as difficult.
Covariation of Sex Differences in Mental Rotation with Body Size
Authors: Tan Üner , Okuyan Mukadder , Bayraktar Tugba , Akgun Ahmet
Published: August 2011

Sex difference in mental rotation ability was reconsidered. The Vandenberg-Kuse figures were administered to 120 male and 76 female students from the Medical School of BlackSea Technical University in Trabzon, Turkey to assess the mental rotation ability. Students' height and weight were measured. As expected, men outperformed women on this test and had greater height and weight. Number correct on mental rotation test significantly correlated with height and weight for the total sample and for men, but only with weight for women. Using weight as covariate, the sex difference was no longer significant. The mean mental rotation score was significantly higher for heavy women than for light men. There was a positive correlation between weight and mental rotation test scores for heavy women, but height and weight were negatively correlated with mental rotation test scores for light men. These results suggest that there is no sex difference in mental rotation ability as measured.
Access to Concrete Word Meanings in the Cerebral Hemispheres: Facilitation and Inhibition Effects
Authors: Shibahara Naoki , Lucero-Wagoner Brennis
Published: August 2011

In 2002 Shibahara and Lucero-Wagoner, using a priming paradigm, reported a larger facilitation for concrete noun pairs in the right than left hemisphere when the stimulus onset asynchrony was 250 msec. Their related prime-target pairs were similar not only in meaning but also perceptual attributes, such as shape. They had reported such perceptual information to be available only in the right hemisphere early in target processing. Thus, we predicted that, when the stimulus onset asynchrony is long, there would be no effect of perceptual information on target processing in the right hemisphere, resulting in no hemispheric differences in the amount of facilitation. We also predicted that target processing would be inhibited by prior presentation of unrelated primes only in the left hemisphere because inhibition seems to be produced by the attention system in the left hemisphere. The present experiment was designed to test these predictions, using the stimulus onset asynchrony of 550 msec. and the same prime-target pairs. Analysis showed no hemispheric differences in the amount of facilitation, and inhibition effects for unrelated pairs were produced in both hemispheres. It is suggested that the inhibition effects in each hemisphere might be produced by different mechanisms.
Test-Retest Reliability of the Functional Rotation Test in Healthy Adults
Authors: Batavia Mitchell , Gianutsos John G.
Published: August 2011

Test-retest reliability and concurrent validity for a Functional Rotation Test, developed as a clinical tool for quantifying the extent of body rotation while sitting or standing, were evaluated with healthy adults in this study. Participants, ages 20 to 72 years ( n = 36) donned laser-pointing devices, stood or sat in the center of a room calibrated for the test, and actively turned and pointed to the right (or left) as far as they could comfortably. The locations of the lasers were recorded and subsequently scored. Testing was repeated after a brief rest. Concurrent measurements between a clinical goniometer and the Functional Rotation Test were also compared. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) indicated good to excellent test-retest reliability indices, ranging from .89 to .96 for standing and .87 to .95 for sitting tests. Agreement between the Functional Rotation Test and the goniometer was excellent (ICC = 1.0). The relevance and possible applications of the Functional Rotation Test are discussed.
Target Locations in Visual Field and Character Recognition by Students of Chinese
Authors: Chen Yuan-Ho , Hsu Sheng-Hsiung
Published: August 2011

The potential influence of target location in a visual field on search should be considered in layouts of control panels and advertisements. This investigation was done to verily the assumption that the upper-left portion of a page or its equivalent naturally attracts the attention of the viewer, Exp. 1 used a tachistoscope to test which of eight Chinese characters first attracted the attention of viewers. The eight Chinese characters are arranged in a square and a circular configuration. In the square layout, a large square (18 cm · 18 cm) was first conceptually subdivided into nine equal parts (6 cm · 6 cm). Then, the eight Chinese characters were put in the center of each part, leaving the central part blank. In the circular layout, the same Chinese characters were symmetrically placed on the conceptual circumference ( r=6 cm) of a circle within a large square. Exp. 2 was a paper-and-pencil test. An embedded-fault-character-search was used to examine the location of the first faulty character discovered by the subjects. 60 college students and 36 schoolchildren were selected as subjects for the tachistoscopic experiment and paper-and-pencil test. Finally, five graduate students participated in Exp. 3 in which an eye camera registered subjects' eye movements to measured distribution of durations of looking over eight locations. The measurements indicated a slight predominance of the upper-left portion for college students and graduate students, and a slight predominance of the upper-right portion for schoolchildren.
Age-Related Accelerated Tapping Response in Healthy Population
Authors: Elazary Anat Scheiman , Bergman Hagai , Attia Revital , Ben-Pazi Hilla
Published: August 2011

Different types of rapid tapping responses were described in the finger-tapping test. The “Hastening phenomenon” was described as an abnormal motor response in patients with Parkinson's disease. Accelerated tapping has been shown in a healthy elderly sample. It is not clear whether accelerated tapping relates to the hastening phenomenon or characterizes normal aging. We hypothesized that this sample of 21 healthy elderly people showed increased accelerated tapping but not hastening phenomenon. To assess this hypothesis, 20 healthy young and 21 elderly subjects performed a tapping test, requiring responses from 1 to 6 Hz. The healthy elderly sample showed increased accelerated tapping but not increased “hastening phenomenon.” We conclude that Accelerated tapping may represent age-related motor processes unlike the hastening phenomenon characterizing Parkinson's disease.
Comprehension of Indirect Requests by Persons with Fluent Aphasia
Authors: Levey Sandra , Goldfarb Robert
Published: August 2011

This study examined the judgments and response latencies of 10 participants with aphasia and 10 participants without aphasia for responses to indirect requests. Modals such as can and should were drawn from 5 indirect request categories. There was a significant difference in judgment errors and response latency between participants with and without aphasia. There were no significant differences between aphasic participants' judgments for literal versus nonliteral contrasts. There was a significant effect among the modals and among the categories of indirect requests. Response latency reflected aphasic participants' understanding of these indirect requests.
An Enquiry into the Process of Categorization of Pictures and Words
Authors: Viswanathan Madhubalan , Childers Terry L.
Published: August 2011

This paper reports a series of experiments conducted to study the categorization of pictures and words. Whereas some studies reported in the past have found a picture advantage in categorization, other studies have yielded no differences between pictures and words This paper used an experimental paradigm designed to overcome some methodological problems to examine picture-word categorization. The results of one experiment were consistent with an advantage for pictures in categorization. To identify the source of the picture advantage in categorization, two more experiments were conducted. Findings suggest that semantic relatedness may play an important role in the categorization of both pictures and words. We explain these findings by suggesting that pictures simultaneously access both their concept and visually salient features whereas words may initially access their concept and may subsequently activate features. Therefore, pictures have an advantage in categorization by offering multiple routes to semantic processing.
Estimation of Speakers' Weight and Height from Speech: A Re-Analysis of Data from Multiple Studies by Lass and Colleagues
Authors: Gonzalez Julio
Published: August 2011

Research on identification of speakers' weight and height from their speech has yielded controversial results. Conclusions from a series of reports conducted by Lass and colleagues must be interpreted with caution because they are based on comparisons of only two types of data, mean of actual values and mean of estimated values. Cohen and others clearly demonstrated that this method of analysis overstated the accuracy of listeners' judgments. Following Van Dommelen's procedure, data from six of Lass's reports were re-analyzed with more appropriate statistics. Results of re-analysis show that (a) listeners are not very efficient guessing the weight or height of speakers, as only 14% of the estimations correlated significantly with actual values, (b) Judgments are highly consistent under different acoustic conditions, suggesting that listeners follow vocal stereotypes about the body size of speakers, even though these stereotypes are wrong.
Temporal Stability and Consistency of Aesthetic Judgments of Beauty of Formal Graphic Patterns
Authors: Höfel Lea , Jacobsen Thomas
Published: August 2011

Temporal stability and consistency of nonartists' aesthetic judgments of beauty of formal graphic patterns was assessed. Temporal stability decreased markedly over several months. When items were repeated in an aesthetic judgment task participants responded consistently over trials rather than performing genuine repeated aesthetic judgments of beauty.
Self-Reported Job Responsibilities of Public School Adapted Physical Educators
Authors: Dillon Suzanna Rocco , Sherrill Claudtne
Published: August 2011

The purpose was to survey adapted physical educators, teaching in the public schools, concerning the nature of their work and the percentage of time spent weekly in 14 specific job roles or responsibilities. Of 102 respondents solicited from national conferences, 66 teachers representing 20 states provided usable data. Most respondents worked in urban settings (77%), served an average of 8 schools per week, had an average caseload of 76 students, and saw each student an average of two times a week. Percentages of time spent each week were greatest in direct instruction (43%), traveling (9%), planning instruction (9%), and assessing students (7%). Findings were similar to those reported previously and discussed in relation to job competencies taught in university classes designed to prepare specialists in adapted physical education.
Comparison of Two Alternative Measures of the Boundary Construct
Authors: Houran James , Thalbourne Michael A. , Hartmann Ernest
Published: August 2011

‘Mental boundaries’ is a traditional concept in psychology, although attempts to conceptualize and measure such boundaries empirically have only recently been pursued. Two major efforts in this respect are Hartmann's Boundary Questionnaire and the Revised Transliminality Scale of Lange, Thalbourne, Houran, and Storm. We administered both along with the Briggs-Nebes Handedness Scale to a convenience sample of 268 participants to assess the convergent validity of the two boundary measures and to replicate previous evidence that the boundary construct involves body boundaries as well, such as a tendency toward mixed-handedness. As predicted, scores on the Revised Transliminality Scale correlated .66 positively with total scores on the Boundary Questionnaire, but neither measure was associated with the handedness scale. Each of the 12 domains of the Boundary Questionnaire correlated significantly with total scores on the Transliminality Scale, yet only five domains contributed significantly to the prediction of variance in transliminality scores in a standard multiple regression analysis. Analysis suggests that transliminality is related to specific domains of the Boundary Questionnaire, and we hypothesize that the other domains of the Boundary Questionnaire represent higher levels of the boundary construct than what is measured by the Revised Transliminality Scale. This idea is discussed within the context of Werner's 1948 theory of syncretic versus symbolic cognition.
Sex Differences in Landmark Learning by Children Aged 5 to 12 Years
Authors: Kersker Jennifer L. , Epley Melissa L. , Wilson Josephine F.
Published: August 2011

Previous research has shown that men and boys learn routes faster and with fewer errors than do women and girls. Research with adults suggests that men use Euclidean cues when learning a route, whereas women use landmark-based strategies. The strategies used by children have received little study. In Exp. 1, 50 boys and girls, ages 5 to 12 years, were shown a map that contained only landmarks (no streets or roads) and were asked to learn a route consisting of 23 of the landmarks. The children used a pointer to trace the route on the map to a criterion of two successive trials without errors. The performance of boys and girls did not differ significantly on this route-learning task on three measures (number of trials to reach criterion, total time to reach criterion, and total number of errors). In Exp. 2, 52 boys and girls, ages 5 to 12 years, were shown the same map as in Exp. I and were asked to learn a route consisting of 12 landmarks. The children traced the route by picking pictures of landmarks in the correct order from a stack of cards with pictures of land marks on them. Girls made significantly fewer errors than boys on this route-learning task in Exp. 2, and a significantly larger number of girls than boys completed the task. None of the boys in the 5- to 6-yr.-old age group learned the route. When Euclidean cues were minimized in Exp. 2, boys made more errors and took as much time as girls to reach the criterion of two successive correct trials.
Influence of Instruction on Velocity and Accuracy of Overarm Throwing
Authors: van den Tillaar Roland , Ettema Gertjan
Published: August 2011

This study investigated the influence of instruction on the ball velocity and accuracy of a goal-directed overarm throw. 9 experienced Norwegian male team handball players executed a throwing task randomly seven times under 5 different instructions varying from emphasizing speed to accuracy. When instructions increasingly emphasized accuracy, velocity decreased. However, accuracy did not improve when subjects were instructed to focus on it. A possible explanation for this finding could lie in the specific subject group. The subjects were highly experienced team handball players with an average of 12 years in the sport. Thus, the accuracy they demonstrated at high velocity might actually be already extremely high and difficult to improve upon when reducing throwing velocity. Further, the velocity of throwing when instruction emphasized accuracy was approximately 85% of the maximal velocity, indicating that experienced team handball players are trained to throw accurately at relatively high velocity.
Role of Perceptual and Motor Abilities in Instep-Kicking Performance of Young Soccer Players
Authors: Zisi V. , Derri V. , Hatzitaki V.
Published: August 2011

The present study made a dynamic analysis of the ground reaction forces developed on the supporting foot during instep kicking to investigate the relation between specific perceptual and motor abilities and the performance of this skill. 45 young soccer players (11–13 years of age) participated in a series of laboratory tests assessing simple, choice, and discrimination reaction time, sustained attention, depth perception, and sense of kinesthesis. Kicking performance measured by the amount of impulse (calculated as the integral of force) developed on the supporting foot during kicking. There was a significant correlation of the kicking impulse with choice reaction time ( r=−.54) and attention reaction time ( r=−.41). Stepwise regression analysis indicated that choice reaction time accounted for 29% of the variation in the anterior/posterior kicking impulse and 16.4% of the variation in the medio/lateral kicking impulse. The significant relation between kicking impulse and measures concerning speed of information processing suggests that processes associated with fast response selection may play an important role in instep-kicking performance. These findings can provide useful information for designing of training schemes and testing protocols.
Relations between Perceptual and Physiological Response during Incremental Exercise Followed by an Extended Bout of Submaximal Exercise on a Cycle Ergometer
Authors: Demura Shinichi , Nagasawa Yoshinori
Published: August 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations of ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) of the legs, chest, and overall body with physiological responses (heart rate and oxygen uptake) both during incremental cycling exercise and the recovery stage (submaximal light exercise after total exhaustion). Subjects were 10 healthy university males ages 18 to 23 years ( M age = 20.5 yr., SD= 1.4 yr.) who performed incremental cycling exercise until exhaustion after 1-min. rest and unloaded cycling for 2 min. They then continued to exercise at a constant load of 30 Watts (used for cooling down; recovery stage) for a total of 25 min. Oxygen uptake and heart rate were measured, and three types of RPE were done; Respiratory (chest; RPE-R), Peripheral (legs; RPE-P), and Overall (overall body; RPE-O) during the exercise and recovery stage. All variables during exercise and RPE-R and RPE-P during recovery stage showed significant linear changes. RPE-O and physiological exercise intensity (oxygen uptake and heart rate) in the recovery stage showed significant curvilinear changes (quadratic). RPE-P were significantly higher than RPE-R both during exercise and the recovery stage and the variables highly correlated ( r ≥.88, p <.05). At the point of exhaustion, RPE-P and RPE-O almost reached a peak, but RPE-R did not. In the exercise period until exhaustion, the regression coefficient of RPE-R (.38) was significantly lower than that of RPE-P (.56) and RPE-O (.50), and RPE-R increased according to an increase of the incremental load, but the amount was significantly lower than those of RPE-P and RPE-O. In the recovery stage after exhaustion, the regression coefficient of RPE-O (−1.35) was significantly greater than that of RPE-P (−1.07). A decrease in RPE-O corresponded to a decrease in heart rate and oxygen uptake, but RPE-P did not, and the recovery of RPE-P tended to be late. The results suggest that relations for the physiological responses of heart rate, oxygen uptake, and RPE, and between each RPE in the recovery stage differed from those during exercise until exhaustion.
Influence of Drafting during Swimming on Ratings of Perceived Exertion during a Swim-to-Cycle Transition in Well-Trained Triathletes
Authors: Delextrat A. , Tricot V. , Hausswirth C. , Bernard T. , Vercruyssen F. , Brisswalter J.
Published: August 2011

After the swim to cycle transition of a triathlon, perceived exertion (RPE) during cycling was higher than during a single cycling bout for 8 well-trained triathletes, but swimming in a drafting position led to lower RPE responses and energy cost of cycling than swimming alone.
Intervention on Strategy Use and on Motivation of Greek Pupils' Reading Comprehension in English Classes
Authors: Pappa E. , Zafiropoulou M. , Metallidou P.
Published: August 2011

Although less skilled learners may improve their abilities through training in strategies used by successful learners, only a few studies have addressed the question of metacognitive strategy training in contexts in which foreign language is learned. This study intended to investigate whether strategy instruction on semantic mapping would produce more successful comprehension in English as a Foreign Language if a boost to students' integrative motivation was included. A sample of 119 Greek students, 14 to 15 years old, of both sexes participated. Strategy training was provided to two experimental groups, with one of them having motivation boosting. One group received only integrative motivation boosting and the control group received no strategy training or boosting, but participated in pre- and posttesting. Results imply that only the students who received intervention, either in the form of metacognitive strategy training or a boost to their integrative motivation or as a combination of these, improved their performance in English reading comprehension in the posttest phase.
Comparison of Information about the Quality of Apparel in Three Retail Formats
Authors: Bye Elizabeth K. , Reiley Kathryn
Published: August 2011

Multiple options are available for selection and purchase of apparel including in-store, catalogue, and Internet. The present purpose was to compare information about quality available to consumers in three retail formats. Students studying quality of apparel selected a product which could be purchased in each of the three formats, completed an evaluation from both a consumer's and preprofessional perspective, and made recommendations for improving information on quality. A total of 413 recommendations were categorized and tested for independence. Students had similar expectations for cues of quality across Internet, catalogue, and in-store formats including fiber content, country of origin, 3-dimensional information about fit. color accuracy, size charts, and strong customer service. Students expected a uniform array of information on quality regardless of the shopping format. Merchandisers must be aware of the total image across formats and be prepared to explore methods for improving communication of information on quality in each.
Empathy, Spatial and Verbal Abilities Characterize One Who Can Best Describe a Route
Authors: Honda Akio , Nihei Yoshiaki
Published: August 2011

We investigated the characteristics of people who provided the most intelligible description of a route. 18 participants were asked to describe the route on their own campus. Then, participants completed the Japanese Wechsler Adults Intelligence Scale-Revised and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Subsequently, 72 raters (36 university students who were familiar with the environment and 36 students who were unfamiliar) were asked to read and rate each of the 18 descriptions on a 7-potnt scale based on intelligibility of the verbal descriptions. Analysis indicated that a person who can provide the most intelligible description of the route has a higher empathic concern, which is necessary to consider intelligibility of the description to the addressees as well as higher spatial abilities, which are relevant to spatial representation of the route.
Response to Visual Stimuli by Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Welsh Timothy N. , Klavora Peter
Published: August 2011

Young college students with ( n = 20) and without ( n = 20) developmental disabilities performed a hand-eye coordination task that involved contacting illuminated target buttons on a wall-mounted board while simultaneously reading numbers in central vision. The target buttons were arranged in 5 concentric rings allowing for the computation of successful contact rates between different areas of the movement environment. Analysis showed, although students with developmental disabilities had lower overall contact rates than peers without such disabilities, both groups performed with comparable accuracy in all locations within the movement environment. This finding suggests that special adaptations of visual information in the working environment for a person with developmental disabilities may not be necessary.
Effect of Incremental and Submaximal Constant Load Tests: Protocol on Perceived Exertion (CR10) Values
Authors: Dekerle Jeanne , Baron Bertrand , Dupont Ludovic , Garcin Murielle , Vanvelcenaher Jacques , Pelayo Patrick
Published: August 2011

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine to what extent the protocol (incremental and constant load exercises) affects the ratings of perceived exertion for a given submaximal intensity on a cycle ergometer. 10 healthy and well-trained male students ( M age = 23 yr., SD = 2.9) performed an incremental exercise to determine maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), maximal aerobic power, and the ratings of perceived exertion (CR10) corresponding to 70% and 75% VO2 max (CR1070i and CR1075i). Two 30-min, constant load exercises set at these intensities were performed to establish the corresponding CR10 values. CR1070i (5.6 ± 1.9) and CR1075i (6.2 ± 1.9) were significantly higher than all CR10 values collected at Minutes 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 of the constant load exercises. These results indicate that, for a given exercise intensity (70% and 75% VO2 max), subjects are rated higher during an incremental exercise than during a 30-min. submaximal constant load test. Therefore, when coaches and physiotherapists want to use CR10 values reported during an incremental standard exercise to set training loads, they have to be prudent since the same relative exercise intensity does not seem to be perceived identically during a submaximal constant exercise as during an incremental one.
Improving Accuracy in Simulated Pharmacy Assembly Tasks Using Workspace Interventions to Enhance the Cognitive Environment
Authors: Schell Kraig L. , Reilley Sean , Grasha Anthony F. , Tranum Diane
Published: August 2011

In this study, the error-reducing effectiveness of two work-environment interventions was examined in a simulated pharmacy task. 110 participants worked for 3 to 4 hours filling approximately 110 orders for simulated drugs in a laboratory-based, controlled environment. One group of participants used a monitor-mounted copy strip to enhance data entry, and another group used the copy strips as well as labeled product sleeves on stock bottles to enhance product selection. Results indicated that participants who worked using copy strips as well as participants who worked using both copy strips and product sleeves were more accurate in their order-filling performance than participants in the control condition. However, participants in the copy strip and the copy strip/sleeve conditions did not differ from one another in accuracy. Further research ideas and potential explanations of these data are discussed.
Extending the Use of Familiar Microswitches to Difficult Daily Situations: Two Case Evaluations
Authors: Lancioni G. E. , Singh N. N. , O'Reilly M. F. , Campodonico F. , Scalini L. , Oliva D.
Published: August 2011

This study assessed the possibility of successfully extending the use of familiar microswitches by two adults with multiple disabilities to a difficult, standing-with-support situation. Analysis showed that the introduction of the familiar microswitches into this situation increased the participants' constructive engagement; they had repeated contacts with the microswitch systems and activated them fairly consistently. For one of the participants, improvement also occurred in terms of mood (smiling) and standing time.
Correlation between Body Mass Index and Percent Body Fat of Trained Body Builders
Authors: Jacobson Bert H. , Cook Debora , Redus Brady
Published: August 2011

For 109 young male body builders the correlation for the Quetelet measure of Body Mass Index with percent fat was .43, suggesting the Body Mass Index is a very weak estimate of percent body fat for a group who engage in vigorous resistance training.
Murder in England and Wales: 1857–1988
Authors: Lester David
Published: August 2011

English murder rates for the period 1857–1988 were predicted by birth and marriage rates, giving an R2 of .89.
A Preliminary Study of the Cognitive Mechanisms Supporting Time Estimation
Authors: Venneri Annalena , Pestell Simon , Nichelli Paolo
Published: August 2011

Evidence from neuropsychological studies has suggested that verbal and visuospatial abilities might be differentially involved in time perception and that, because there is specialised competence, the two brain hemispheres might play different roles in time-keeping mechanisms. Reported are results of three experiments in which the time estimates of normal adults were tested using a prospective paradigm while they were engaged in concurrent secondary tasks requiring visuospatial or verbal memory and attention. Analysis showed no convincing evidence in support of a differential role of either verbal or visuospatial abilities in time estimation. The greatest disruption in time accuracy was detected when participants performed the time estimation tasks concurrently with secondary working memory tasks. These findings emphasize the importance of the involvement of specific cognitive systems rather than cognitive domains in the processing of temporal information.
Profiles of Sensorimotor Development in Children with Autism and with Developmental Delay
Authors: Bernabei Paola , Fenton Gemma , Fabrizi A. , Camaioni Luigia , Perucchini Paola
Published: August 2011

Aim of the study was (1) to evaluate sensorimotor development of children with autism in comparison with that of children with developmental delay, (2) to verify the possible unevenness of the developmental profiles through correlations amongst domains and between domains and chronological age. 46 children with autism were compared with 45 children with developmental delay. Mean chronological age was 3.7 yr. in children with autism and 3.6 yr. in children with mental retardation. Mean mental age was 1.3 yr. in children with autism and 1.1 yr. in children with developmental delay. Ordinal scales of Uzgiris-Hunt show that the two groups score significantly differently on the scales of Object Permanence, Means-Ends, Operational Causality, and Spatial Relations and that scores were higher for the children with autism. The comparison made between the developmental levels of each group indicate that the sensorimotor profile in children with developmental delay is fairly homogeneous, while it appears uneven in autistic children, for whom Object Permanence appears to be the most advanced skill, Verbal and Gestural Imitation and Schemes for Relating to Objects the lowest. The results are in keeping with the assumption that the pivotal defect of autism is a deficit in social interactive skills.
Reliability of a Scale to Measure Existential Insecurity
Authors: Lester David , Abdel-Khalek Ahmed
Published: August 2011

A 6-item scale to assess ontological insecurity showed reasonable reliability and factorial purity in a sample of 193 undergraduates.
Modeling Data from Water-Level Tasks: A Test Theoretical Analysis
Authors: Formann Anton K.
Published: August 2011

The water-level tasks were invented by Piaget to diagnose the level of mental development of spatial abilities, especially behavior of liquids. It has become usual practice to dichotomise water-level responses by the subjects into right vs wrong using a certain tolerance limit (departure from the horizontal measured in degrees) and to fit a mixture of binomials to the raw scores resulting from a series of water-level tasks. The present study questions this procedure. Based on a series of 12 water-level tasks (round bottles at 12 different angles of orientation) presented to 431 subjects, both children and adults, females and males, the following results were obtained. First, considering the task difficulties (proportions of correct answers) and the scores, the effect of age was significant, but that for sex was not. Second, a mixture of binomials were shown to be inappropriate due to their ignoring the heterogeneity of the task difficulties, whereas latent class models, due to their taking this heterogeneity as well as that of the subjects into account, were successful in rendering a complete and well-rounded description of the data as observed for the eight water-level tasks showing bottles with orientations corresponding to 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 11 o'clock. Third, the Rasch model was valid as justification for the simple interpretation that subjects and tasks have a unidimensional scale in common with each other and that the raw score is the sufficient statistic for the subjects' performance. Fourth, employing the linear logistic test model, the task difficulty parameters according to the Rasch model could be attributed to a single parameter associated with the angle of inclination of the bottle. In all, the results do not give a final answer to the question of whether the concept of types (classes) or that of a continuous trait is the better of the two, but they do give rise to some warnings against the use of a mixture of binomials for modeling data on water-level tasks.
Relations of Balance Function and Gross Motor Ability for Children with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Liao Hua-Fang , Hwang Ai-Wen
Published: August 2011

To investigate the relations between the balance function and gross motor ability, we recruited 15 children with cerebral palsy from 5 to 12 years in age. Balance function was tested by the Smart Balance Master System and by clinical tests. The Motor Age test was used to test gross motor ability. Analysis showed that postural stability in eyes open, eyes closed, and swaying vision conditions (visual surrounding swaying with body sway), the duration of one leg standing, and the duration of maintaining a heel-to-toe position were significantly correlated with gross motor ability. Postural stability in the eyes-closed condition was the best predicting factor and could explain 64% of the variability of gross motor ability. Whether the training of postural stability in eyes-closed condition can improve the gross motor function needs further study.
Effect of Element Size on Stereoscopic Apparent Motion
Authors: Ito Hiroyuki
Published: August 2011

Spatial displacement limits in stereoscopic (cyclopean) apparent motion were measured from sequentially presented two-frame random-depth configurations. Each depth configuration was defined by stereoscopically near or far elements of various sizes. The limits were compared with those in luminance-defined apparent motion. The subject's task was 2-alternative forced-choice of the perceived motion direction of the sequentially presented two-frame random-dot stereograms. The spatial displacement limit below which correct motion perception arose with stereoscopic configurations was larger in proportion to increases in size of elements. The values were almost consistent with those measured by luminance-defined configurations with the same element sizes. This result suggests that the strategy for discrimination of motion direction of random configurations is similar in both stereoscopic and luminance-defined apparent motion.
Relationship of Hand Length to Catching Performance by Children in Kindergarten to Grade 2
Authors: Loovis E. Michael , Butterfield Stephen A.
Published: August 2011

This study examined the relationship between hand length and catching performance by 257 children (142 boys, 115 girls) in Grades K–2. Children's catching performance was determined by the number of successful catches (0–5) when a small ball was tossed underhand from 10 ft. Specifically, the children were tested on the qualitative aspects of catching, i.e., form, and catching accuracy, i.e., successful catching. Hand length was measured by standard anthropometric technique. A multiple regression analysis showed age, sex, and hand length contributed significantly ( p = .001) to catching accuracy and catching form. Implications for instruction and further research are offered.
Changes in Saccadic Latencies over the Human Menstrual Cycle
Authors: Brooker Emma J. , Barnes Richard J. , Walton Emily K. , Wickramasinghe Ananthi H.
Published: August 2011

The study assessed differences in sensorimotor processing as reflected in measurements of saccadic latencies at 3 different stages in the menstrual cycle (menstruation, early luteal, and premenstruation) in naturally cycling women ( n = 13), and at the same time intervals in women taking an oral contraceptive ( n = 6), and male controls ( n = 8). Subjects ( M age = 22.0 yr., SD = 2.2 yr.) were recruited by questionnaire from the student population of the University of Cambridge. Latencies were measured using a portable infrared scleral oculometer. Changes in latency across the menstrual cycle occurred only in the naturally cycling women ( F2,11 = 5.95, p<.05). Premenstrual latencies were greater (199.3 ± 12.7 msec., M ± SD) compared to those during menstruation (191.9 ± 11.1 msec.) or midcycle (196.9 ± 12.7 msec.). These findings could account for the loss of musculoskeletal coordination reported by some women prior to menstruation and suggests that administration of an oral contraceptive may alleviate this effect.
Citation Searching: A New Feature in Psycinfo
Authors: Perdue Bob , Piotrowski Chris
Published: August 2011

This paper reports the usefulness of a new reference citation feature of the database PsycINFO. Limitations were noted.
In-Store Selection of Wine—No Evidence for the Mediation of Music?
Authors: Hume Louise , Dodd Christopher A. , Grigg Nigel P.
Published: August 2011

435 visitors to a wine store were observed as part of a field-study replication wherein product purchase was measured under various music conditions. Contrary to previous findings from a much smaller study, the use of stereotypically representative music to mediate associated product choices showed no significant effects.
Suicide Notes from Australia and the United States
Authors: Leenaars Antoon A. , Haines Janet , Wenckstern Susanne , Williams Christopher L. , Lester David
Published: August 2011

The rates and patterns of suicide in the United States and Australia are similar. There are, however, few empirical studies comparing these two countries; indeed, there is a paucity of cross-cultural study in suicidology in general. Suicide notes from both countries were compared, based on Leenaars' multidimensional model of suicide. No major differences were noted as is in keeping with similar studies of suicide notes around the world. It was concluded that the model may be applicable to suicides in both countries; further study is warranted.
Relation of Orientation, Verbal Aggression, and Physical Aggression to Compliance in Speech-Language Therapy for Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Gentry Betholyn , Smith Antoinette , Dancer Jess
Published: August 2011

20 subjects with traumatic brain injury were tested over a 4-wk. period for aggressive behaviors; orientation to place, person, and time; and compliance in speech-language therapy sessions. Analysis showed significant correlations from .63 to .75 over the four sessions between orientation and compliance in speech-language therapy and suggest that orientation training could be a prerequisite to the formal treatment of other behavioral or communication disorders.
Contacting Points Overhead with and without a Tennis Racquet
Authors: Naughton Jan , Adams Roger D. , Maher Chris G.
Published: August 2011

Wielding an object or tool has been proposed to extend automatically the body's boundary to the tip of the held object. A sample of convenience consisted of 7 women and 5 men whose mean age was 23 yr. Using recreational tennis skills they judged the location of unseen overhead points of contact, where accuracy of discrimination was measured for movements to contact made with and without use of a tennis racquet. Points-of-contact overhead touched by the hand were significantly better discriminated after a backward and upward arm swing than when contact was made after a similar swing with a tennis racquet.
EMG Activities of Facial and Chewing Muscles of Human Adults in Response to Taste Stimuli
Authors: Horio Tsuyoshi
Published: August 2011

To evaluate facial expression patterns induced by different taste stimuli, electromyograms (EMG) of the facial and chewing muscles of 12 healthy university students, aged 20 to 23 years, were analyzed. Sucrose (sweet), NaCl (salty), citric acid (sour), quinine-HCl (bitter), monosodium glutamate (MSG; umami), homogentisic acid (harsh), tannic acid (astringent), and capsaicine (pungent) were the taste stimuli used. Rating scale tests were made to assess the hedonics (pleasantness) of the taste stimuli. EMG responses of the corrugator supercilii, venter frontalis, orbicularis oculi, depressor anguli, and digastricus muscles to capsaicine, tannic, acid, and citric acid showed larger amplitudes than to NaCl, MSG, homogentisic acid, and sucrose. Increases in EMG responses for most facial and chewing muscles for the taste solutions had significant negative correlations to the solutions' hedonic scale values. Most facial and chewing muscles of adult humans therefore showed greater responses to disliked than to preferred or less preferred tastes.
Liaw's Scales to Measure Attitudes toward Computers and the Internet
Authors: Yang Bijou , Lester David
Published: August 2011

In a replication study using 137 undergraduates, Liaw's scales to measure attitudes toward computers and the Internet showed reliability and construct validity.
Timing of Bimanual Alternating Finger-Tapping Sequences in Adolescents with Mental Retardation: A Pilot Study
Authors: Inui Nobuyuki , Asama Ko-Ichi
Published: August 2011

We examined differences between the synchronization and self-pacing tasks using repetitive tapping with alternate hands. 9 adolescents with mental retardation made faster and more variable movements on the self-pacing task than on the synchronization task at target intervals of 400 and 800 msec. This suggests that they were able to coordinate the timing of individual responses with individual stimuli on the synchronization task but on the self-pacing task they controlled the timing by memory or generation or setting of an incorrect timer rate.
Association of National Cancer Mortality and Suicide Rates
Authors: Bridges F. Stephen , Williamson C. Bennett
Published: August 2011

Using WHO data from 1996 instead of 1990, the authors replicated and extended Knodrichin and Lester's 2001 study. Like their study, our total rates of cancer mortality and suicide in a similar sample of 37 European nations of the world were estimated to be positively associated.