Eye fixations and memory for emotional events.

Subjects watched either an emotional, neutral, or unusual sequence of slides containing 1 critical slide in the middle. Experiments 1 and 2 allowed only a single eye fixation on the critical slide by presenting it for 180 ms (Experiment 1) or 150 ms (Experiment 2). Despite this constraint, memory for a central detail was better for the emotional condition. In Experiment 3, subjects were allowed 2.70 s to view the critical slide while their eye movements were monitored. When subjects who had devoted the same number of fixations were compared, memory for the central detail of the emotional slide was again better. The results suggest that enhanced memory for detail information of an emotional event does not occur solely because more attention is devoted to the emotional information.     

The Temporal Automated System for Taste Experiments (TASTE).

We describe a new, open flow device for presenting taste stimuli to human subjects under controlled conditions of timing. The device delivers each stimulus as a mist to the participant's tongue through one of 16 nozzles attached to a linear slide. Software controls the position of the slide, the duration of the stimulus, and the duration of the pre- and poststimulus water rinses and records the responses of the participant. Temporal characteristics of this system make it especially applicable to studies on the role of attention in taste perception.     

The Temporal Automated System for Taste Experiments (TASTE)

We describe a new, open flow device for presenting taste stimuli to human subjects under controlled conditions of timing. The device delivers each stimulus as a mist to the participant’s tongue through one of 16 nozzles attached to a linear slide. Software controls the position of the slide, the duration of the stimulus, and the duration of the pre- and poststimulus water rinses and records the responses of the participant. Temporal characteristics of this system make it especially applicable to studies on the role of attention in taste perception.     

An objective automated method for digitizing pictorial material for computer manipulation

An inexpensive device to digitize existing pictorial material in conjunction with a digital computer is described. Slides (35-mm) are used as source material, and the slide is scanned to produce a two-level output (i.e., dot present or dot absent). The system has spatial resolution of approximately 1 mm and a complete scan (30 times 19 points) is completed in about 20 sec. Although we are using the system to produce only two level outputs, there is no reason a gray scale could not be constructed.     

Human motor responses to simultaneous aversive stimulation and failure on a valued task

The effects of presentation of an aversive stimulus and simultaneous failure on a bogus intelligence test upon a subject's aggressive reactions were studied. The subject's fist clenching was used as an indicator of aggression. Four conditions, generated by the combinations of two kinds of stimulus delivered to the subjects (aversive or nonaversive) and two outcomes of the task (failure or success), were investigated. 20 female and 20 male students (ages: 17-34 years) were instructed, upon the reception of an aversive or nonaversive acoustic signal, to press with the right hand a device that displayed a slide. Each slide presented an item from an intelligence test, to which the subjects were either allowed to answer successfully (success) or not (failure). Failure increased the subject's autonomic arousal, as measured by photoplethysmographic sensors, in all stimulation conditions, but only the condition with aversive stimulation increased the speed of clenching. This was interpreted as indicating subject's tendencies to aggression. These results are discussed in relation to the effects of frustration.     

Adapting a grid into a microswitch to suit simple hand movements of a child with profound multiple disabilities

We adapted a grid into a microswitch for the hand movements of a girl with profound multiple disabilities who lay on her back. The grid, suspended above the girl's face, was equipped with two mercury devices, i.e., small sealed ampoules containing a mercury drop and ending with conductive leads. A lateral or forward movement of the grid would make the mercury drop of at least one device slide to the conductive leads and activate the device. During the intervention, activations of the devices, i.e., microswitch activations, produced the occurrence of favorite stimuli. Analysis showed that the girl increased the frequency of hand movements and microswitch activations during the intervention phases compared to the baseline phases (when the favorite stimuli were not available). The increase was retained at a 1-mo. postintervention check.     

An accurate repeat cycle timer.

This timer was designed to provide a compact and quiet unit to control the presentation of visual stimuli by means of a slide projector, but it is not limited to this use. It is a solid state device, ready for use as soon as switched on, and is made largely from commercial logic units. The output is in the form of contact closures: the ON relay and the OFF relay give short pulse closures at the beginning of their respective cycles. With circuit values as shown in Fig. 1, times, from 0.5 to 10 sec in increments of 0.5 sec with an accuracy of ±1%, are selected by separate switches on the ON and the OFF cycles. Single interval solid state timers have been described by Saslow and Markowitz (1964) and by Tapp and Clark (1964).     

A simple device for measuring the volume of small objects

A simple and sensitive device for measuring the volume of small biological specimens such as eyes or brains is described. This easily constructed volumeter is more accurate than a graduated cylinder and does not compromise the integrity of the tissue.     

Four Dimensions of Envy: Strategies for Managing Its Manifestations in Psychotherapy

Envy is not an amorphous feeling and can be seen as consisting of four distinct dimensions, labeled identification, confrontive, redirecting, and medea. Just as we have to be aware of the traditional stages of psychosexual and psychosocial stages of development, we need to be alert as to what dimension of envy the patient may be experiencing at any given moment in psychotherapy. When these dimensions manifest themselves in therapy we find that each of them requires a different strategy by the therapist. Each dimension has its unique features and what is successful at one stage of treatment may be disastrous at another. If the therapist does not intervene at the beginning stages to prevent envy from increasing in intensity, there is a danger that the patient can slide into a stage in which effective therapy may be doomed.     

A low-cost solid state device for producing delayed auditory feedback

This paper presents a design for construction of a relatively low-cost solid state delayed auditory feedback device. The advantages of this unit are that it is reliable, flexible, easy to operate, and it does not require audio tape.     

SEX-ROLE IDENTITY, GENDER IDENTITY, AND SELF-SCHEMATA

Forty females and 40 males were shown slides of masculine and feminine phrases controlled for social desirability, sex-linked content, syllable length, and negative semantic construction to evaluate schematic processing on the dimensions of masculinity and femininity. Their responses to the phrases were timed. The BSRI, PAQ, and SSR1Q administered subsequent to the slide presentation were used to categorize subjects into groups of masculine, feminine, androgynous, and undifferentiated. Comparisons between the groups evaluated by the different scales indicated that the PAQ was the best predictor of schematic processing and that the SSRIQ and gender were not predictors of schematic processing. Correlations between the SSRIQ and the masculine and feminine scales of the BSRI and PAQ provided evidence partially supportive of Storms's (1979) theory that sex-role identity influences the development of same-sex-typed attributes but does not influence opposite-sex-typed attributes.     

A device for the easy administration of volatile anesthetics to rats undergoing stereotaxic surgery

Conventional procedures do not provide a practical method for the administration of volatile anesthetics such as halothane to rats while they are undergoing stereotaxic surgery. This paper describes a device which meets this need and which is easy and inexpensive to construct. A two-piece cylinder cut from the mouth of a polyethylene bottle forms a closed system around the muzzle of a rat and does not interfere with the stereotaxic apparatus or with the operation itself. The cylinder is attached to any standard device for the dispension of volatile anesthetics. The immediate advantage is that behavioral assesaments can be made relatively soon after surgery.     

A microcomputer interface for control of real-time experiments in cognitive psychology

A microcomputer system for real-time control of experiments in cognitive psychology is described. The microcomputer serves as an interface that allows a remote timesharing computer to control the timed display of textual material on CRTs and collect response times accurate to 1 msec. It can control two CRT subject stations presenting the same or different experiments and control other devices such as slide projectors and tape recorders. It is argued that such special-purpose microcomputer interfaces provide a real-time laboratory with significantly less effort than does the more traditional laboratory minicomputer.     

Source of arousal and memory for detail

Two questions about the relationship between arousal and memory were investigated: First, does the source of arousal influence memory, and, second, what impact does arousal have on memory for detail? In Experiment 1, physiological arousal (running or not running in place) was factorially combined with emotional arousal (viewing a neutral or an emotional slide sequence). Recognition memory was tested for gist, central detail, and background detail. Experiments 2 and 3 were similar to Experiment 1, with the exception that a cued recall task was used in Experiment 2 and physiological arousal was manipulated with stationary biking in Experiment 3. The results of these experiments indicated that physiological arousal had little impact on memory and that emotional arousal led to improvements in memory for both central and background detail. Overall, these results supported the notions that the source of arousal is an important determinant of an event’s memorability (Christianson, 1992a) and that emotional arousal serves to enhance the scope of memory (i.e., flashbulb memory; Brown &; Kulik, 1977).     

Active involvement,not illusory control,increases risk taking in a gambling game

The research considers the influence of choice (the possibility for the player to choose a gamble or another) and involvement (the physical interaction with the gambling device) on risk taking in gambling games and whether this influence is mediated by illusory control over the outcome of the gamble. Results of a laboratory experiment (n = 100) show that (a) although choice does increase illusory control, this influence does not translate in increased risk taking, and (b) whilst involvement does increase risk taking, this effect is not mediated by illusory control. These results are discussed in relation to problem gambling, beliefs in the deployability of personal luck, and arousal approaches to risk taking.     

LED-transistor optical vascular measure: Calibration,replicability, and comparability to strain-gauge measures

Recently, a LED-transistor optoelectronic package (Sensor Technology 850A) has been used to measure peripheral vascular responses. This report examines the calibration and measurement replicability of this device and relates device output to flow measures derived from venous occlusion plethysmography. Measures were taken from the thumbnails of 11 male volunteers. A correlational analysis of sequential amplitude readings compared calibrated and uncalibrated values. Calibration failed to increase the sensitivity of the measures. Replicability of measurement was assessed by removing and replacing the device five times. A correlation of .87 suggested that the readings are replicable. Finally, the amplitude of the optical signal was correlated to concurrent flow measures. Only modest correlations were observed as computed across time within individuals or between individuals. The optical device does not appear to be a direct measure of flow as assessed by venous occlusion plethysmography, rather, it may be heavily influenced by the mechanical motion of the vessel wall.     

Can 9.5-month-old infants attribute to an agent a disposition to perform a particular action on objects?

The present research examined whether 9.5-month-old infants can attribute to an agent a disposition to perform a particular action on objects, and can then use this disposition to predict which of two new objects - one that can be used to perform the action and one that cannot - the agent is likely to reach for next. The infants first received familiarization trials in which they watched an agent slide either three (Experiments 1 and 3) or six (Experiment 2) different objects forward and backward on an apparatus floor. During test, the infants saw two new identical objects placed side by side: one stood inside a short frame that left little room for sliding, and the other stood inside a longer frame that left ample room for sliding. The infants who saw the agent slide six different objects attributed to her a disposition to slide objects: they expected her to select the "slidable" as opposed to the "unslidable" test object, and they looked reliably longer when she did not. In contrast, the infants who saw the agent slide only three different objects looked about equally when she selected either test object. These results add to recent evidence that infants in the first year of life can attribute dispositions to agents, and can use these dispositions to help predict agents' actions in new contexts.     

Electromagnetic articulography: use of alternating magnetic fields for tracking movements of multiple points inside and outside the vocal tract

The purpose of this paper is to present a new electromagnetic device which uses alternating magnetic fields for tracking movements of multiple points inside and outside the vocal tract. It is biologically safe, noninvasive, it does not interfere with speech movements, allows for multiple recording in the same subject, and for easy collection of large amounts of data. It is especially suitable for evaluation of patients with speech motor impairments.     

The Extended Maxwellian View (BIGMAX): A high-intensity,high-saturation color display for clinical diagnosis and vision research

We describe a device that can display very high intensity (up to 400,000 cd/m²), high-resolution visual stimuli. The device is inexpensive, is easily controlled by a conventional computer and video card, and can be calibrated for use in vision research or clinical applications. The display is capable of presenting highly saturated, near spectral colors. Unlike Maxwellian view optical systems, our display can be viewed binocularly and does not require exacting head restraint. We describe the construction, give a design example, and describe our calibration procedure. Furthermore, we report measurements of the color gamut, spatial resolution, temporal characteristics, and the dynamic range of light intensity.     

Emotion regulation and memory: the cognitive costs of keeping one's cool

An emerging literature has begun to document the affective consequences of emotion regulation. Little is known, however, about whether emotion regulation also has cognitive consequences. A process model of emotion suggests that expressive suppression should reduce memory for emotional events but that reappraisal should not. Three studies tested this hypothesis. Study 1 experimentally manipulated expressive suppression during film viewing, showing that suppression led to poorer memory for the details of the film. Study 2 manipulated expressive suppression and reappraisal during slide viewing. Only suppression led to poorer slide memory. Study 3 examined individual differences in typical expressive suppression and reappraisal and found that suppression was associated with poorer self-reported and objective memory but that reappraisal was not. Together, these studies suggest that the cognitive costs of keeping one's cool may vary according to how this is done.