The uniqueness and significance of simple structure demonstrated by contrasting organic “natural structure” and “random structure” data

The study compares the extent to which naturally structured data and artificial, relatively random data (both with the same basic parameters) produce simple structure factors which are uniquely determined. Two examples of unstructured matrices were compared with the ball problem matrix. The results show that an oblique position of maximum hyperplane count in the structured data differs from that in the unstructured by reaching a significantly more unique position in terms of the exactitude with which it is re-discoverable when starting from different positions, and by reaching (at the maximum) a significantly higher hyperplane count.     

Technology: A fundamental structure?

Because technology plays such an important part in our daily lives, in our businesses, and in government policy, we need to understand it better. But technology has not undergone the elegant simplification that marks the development of most fields of knowledge as they grow to maturity. To achieve simplification we need first to discover the fundamental structure that underpins all technologies. Such a structure may well turn out to be one of the more significant conceptual foundations of the new century. What is the state of knowledge in this area? Beginning with Babbage early in the nineteenth century, many attempts have been made to create such a structure. The history of these attempts is poorly recorded with no well-documented central theme. One approach, called Strategic Technology Analysis (STA), seems to have advanced a little further than most others. It focuses on the intrinsic characteristics of technologies. Based on these characteristics, the field offers a set of frameworks for analyzing individual technological entities as well as entire technological landscapes. These frameworks cover the (1) anatomy, (2) taxonomy, (3) evolution, and (4) ecology of technology. This article traces the development of these frameworks. It recommends that they be scrutinized anew and evaluated as part of a revitalized search for fundamental structure.     

Perversion – structure or organization?

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss perversion, its implications in the clinical setting, and some of the key concepts around it. First, the etymology of the words “perversion”, “structure”, and “organization” is analyzed. Next follows a discussion on the sexual organization of instincts – from the Unconscious to the Oedipus complex in Freud and Lacan – setting the ground for a disavowal-based theory of perversion. An instructive approach has been chosen so as better to organize the various points presented.

Laender NR et al. Perversion – Struktur oder Organisation?

Der Aufsatz diskutiert die Perversion, ihre Auswirkungen im klinischen Setting und einige Schlüsselkonzepte. Zuerst wird die Herkunft der Wörter Perversion, Struktur und Organisation analysiert. Dann folgt eine Diskussion über die Organisation der Sexualität bzw. der Instinkte – vom Unbewussten bis zum Ödipuskomplex bei Freud und Lacan – wodurch eine Theorie der Perversion auf der Basis von Ablehnung begründet wird. Ein instruktiver Zugang, bei dem die verschiedenen Punkte von Interesse gut strukturiert sind, wurde gewählt.

Laender NR et al . Perversion – organización o estructura?

Este trabajo intenta discutir la perversión, sus implicaciones en la clínica y algunos de los conceptos clave alrededor de la perversión.

Primero, es analizada la etimología de las palabras Perversión, Estructura y Organización. Despúes sigue una discusión sobre la organización sexual de los instintos- desde lo Inconsciente hasta el complejo de Edipo en Freud y Lacan- planteando las bases para una teoría de la negación-desaprobación de la perversión.

Para organizar mejor los varios aspectos presentados se escogió una aproximación instructiva.     

Does verb structure affect sentence comprehension?

Fodor, Garrett, and Bever have reported two experiments suggesting that sentences containing complex verbs are more difficult to comprehend than ones containing simple verbs. However, the tasks they used, paraphrasing and anagram solving, reflect comprehension difficulty only very indirectly. Both of the present experiments compared the difficulty of sentences containing simple and complex verbs using the paraphrasing task and also a task that assesses on-line comprehension difficulty, phoneme monitoring. The paraphrasing task yielded the predicted effect in Experiment 1 but not in Experiment 2. The phoneme monitoring task failed to yield the effect in either experiment. Two alternative accounts were suggested for the present data as well as those of Fodor et al.     

The structure of audio–visual consciousness

Synthese - It is commonly believed that human perceptual experiences can be, and usually are, multimodal. What is more, a stronger thesis is often proposed that some perceptual multimodal...     

Are spoken surface structure ambiguities perceptually unambiguous?

This study was devised to ascertain the extent to which objective intonational cues determine the listener's interpretation of surface structure ambiguities. Highly biased ambiguities (as determined by a pretest) were recorded with intonation patterns appropriate to either the more probable (high-bias) interpretation or the less probable (low-bias) interpretation. Each reading was paired with three context questions: a question appropriate only to the high-bias reading, one appropriate only to the low-bias reading, and a neutral question appropriate to either interpretation. Subjects provided appropriateness judgments for the question-answer pairs, and were timed on their responses. A second task involved paraphrasing the answer in each question-answer pair regardless of compatibility. The results indicated that perception of intonation is affected by the interpretive bias of an ambiguous sentence, and that the strength of the preferred reading is attenuated to a greater degree by an opposing context than by an opposing intonation.This research was carried out at the City University of New York, and was supported in part by the Faculty Research Award Program under Grant # 10668 to H. S. Cairns.     

Functionplane—A new approach to simple structure rotation

A new criterion for rotation to an oblique simple structure is proposed. The results obtained are similar to that obtained by Cattell and Muerle's maxplane criterion. Since the proposed criterion is smooth it is possible to locate the local maxima using simple gradient techniques. The results of the application of the Functionplane criterion to three sets of data are given. In each case a better fit to the subjective solution was obtained using the functionplane criterion than was reported for by Hakstian for the oblimax, promax, maxplane, or the Harris-Kaiser methods.This paper is contribution No. 66 from the Program in Ecology and Evolution at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York. This work was supported in part by a grant (GB-20496) from the National Science Foundation. The computations were performed on an IBM 360/67 computer at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.     

The surface structure and the deep structure of sequential control: What can we learn from task span switch costs?

A large component of response time switch costs in the cued task-switching paradigm is linked to cue changes without task changes, suggesting costs might reflect passive priming rather than endogenous control. In contrast, the task span procedure requires subjects to guide task selection via sequences of memorized task cues and therefore may be better suited to reflect endogenous switch processes (Logan, 2004). The present experiments combined the task span procedure with a 2:1 mapping between cues and tasks, allowing separation of cue-switch costs from true task-switch costs. Replicating findings with the cued task-switching paradigm, results showed both substantial cue-switch costs and actual task-switch costs (Experiments 1 and 2) as well as sensitivity of cue-switch costs, but not of task-switch costs, to opportunity for preparation (Experiment 2). Apparently, simple action plans use “surface level” phonological or articulatory codes that contain no task information. These results suggest that the distinction between cue-related and task-related processes is critical no matter whether tasks are cued exogenously or endogenously.     

The crystallographic structure of λ transition-alumina compared with the periodic antiphase boundary structure of a Ga2O3-rich Mg gallate

One of the high-temperature metastable phases found in the MgGa₂O₄–Ga₂O₃ system is the ε_Mg non-stoichiometric Mg gallate. It has a one-dimensional periodic antiphase boundary (PAPB) structure based on the spinel structure. The APBs are parallel to the {3?1?0} planes and the APB vectors are of the 1/4?1 1 0? type when referred to the spinel structure. This generally leads to the existence of 12 monoclinic twin variants in the studied samples. By comparing the X-ray or electronic diffraction patterns of both phases, it will be shown that the recently discovered?λ?transition-alumina has the same type of structure.     

The more things change…: Metamorphoses and conceptual structure

Given that mythmakers must construct stories that are comprehensible to their audience, it is reasonable to expect stories to be conceptually natural even when their topics deal with the supernatural. Thus, as stories are adapted to human conceptual structure, they should reflect characteristics of that structure. An examination of the types of magical transformations in Ovid's Metamorphoses and Grimms' Fairy Tales suggests that this is the case. It was possible to predict the patterns of transformations on the basis of structural properties of ontological knowledge, which is knowledge of the basic categories of existence (e.g., conscious beings, animals, plants, events). Other characteristics of the transformations seem to reflect the conceptual distinction between animates and inanimates as well as the relative prototypicality of various taxonomic classes of animals. It appears that aspects of conceptual structure can constrain patterns of thinking even during “the willing suspension of disbelief.”     

How well is causal structure inferred from cooccurrence information?

Individual causal relations tend to form parts of larger causal systems. In five experiments the ability of participants to infer the structures of two systems involving five entities from patterns of cooccurrence was investigated. Although the systems were fully deterministic, there were no indirect causal relations, and participants were given guidance on how to infer causal structure from cooccurrence information, low rates of success were observed. Judgements were based more on information about temporal relations, even though no guidance on the use of temporal relation information for causal inference was provided. When no guidance was provided, no participants succeeded in inferring the structure of both systems. The results indicate that temporal relations may be preferred as cues to causal structure over patterns of cooccurrence.     

Can test statistics in covariance structure analysis be trusted?

Covariance structure analysis uses chi 2 goodness-of-fit test statistics whose adequacy is not known. Scientific conclusions based on models may be distorted when researchers violate sample size, variate independence, and distributional assumptions. The behavior of 6 test statistics is evaluated with a Monte Carlo confirmatory factor analysis study. The tests performed dramatically differently under 7 distributional conditions at 6 sample sizes. Two normal-theory tests worked well under some conditions but completely broke down under other conditions. A test that permits homogeneous nonzero kurtoses performed variably. A test that permits heterogeneous marginal kurtoses performed better. A distribution-free test performed spectacularly badly in all conditions at all but the largest sample sizes. The Satorra-Bentler scaled test statistic performed best overall.     

What is interesting? Exploring the appraisal structure of interest

Relative to other emotions, interest is poorly understood. On the basis of theories of appraisal process and structure, it was predicted that interest consists of appraisals of novelty (factors related to unfamiliarity and complexity) and appraisals of coping potential (the ability to understand the new, complex thing). Four experiments, using in vivo rather than retrospective methods, supported this appraisal structure. The findings were general across measured and manipulated appraisals, interesting stimuli (random polygons, visual art, poetry), and measures of interest (self-reports, forced-choice, behavioral measures). Furthermore, the appraisal structure was specific to interest (it did not predict enjoyment, a related positive emotion), and appraisals predicted interest beyond relevant traits (curiosity, openness). The appraisal perspective offers a powerful way of construing the causes of interest.     

Onset of plasticity in a Σ = 5 GaAs compliant structure

Compliant structures have been fabricated in which a thin GaAs layer (thickness between 10 and 20nm) was bonded on top of a GaAs substrate with a large twist angle (about 37). This twist angle value was chosen so that the energy of the boundary (coincident boundary of type =5 (001)) was minimized. The structure of the interface was characterized and the onset of plasticity in such a compliant substructure was investigated using nanoindentation that allowed the low-load deformation regime to be observed. The results are compared with those obtained under the same conditions on a GaAs bulk substrate alone. No plastic zone was observed by transmission electron microscopy in the compliant structure under loads below 0.25mN while, under the same loads, plastic deformation was observed in the bulk substrate. For higher loads (2mN), plastic-flow enhancement was observed in the compliant structure. The results are discussed in the light of the arrangement of dislocations observed in the plastic zones.     

Use of orthographic structure and reading ability: What relationship?

Previous research has shown that good readers are superior to poor readers in their use of orthographic structure. The purpose of the present study was to assess the role of experience in determining these differences. Results showed that poor sixth-grade readers used orthographic structure to speed their matching judgments just as effectively as good sixth-grade readers. The apparent discrepancy in results between the present study and previous work is explained in terms of the “partial-information hypothesis” which states that the performance of good readers is superior to that of poor readers in situations which depend on the use of partial information. Support for this view was provided by the fact that good readers recognized significantly more items on a recognition test than did the poor readers.     

Factor structure of the SCL-90-R: is there one?

A review of the literature on the factor structure of the Symptom Check List-90-R (SCL-90-R) and its precursors makes evident the many problems inherent in this clinical assessment tool as a measure of independent dimensions of symptom distress, particularly in psychiatric patients. The many versions of the Symptom Check List are evaluated on several criteria (e.g., factor stability, factor loadings, proportion of variance, etc.). It is concluded that interpreting nine dimensions for clinical purposes is highly questionable. It is perhaps still a better measure of general distress as was intended in its original version approximately three decades ago.     

“Talk and social structure” and “studies of work”

This paper takes up the current discussion and disagreement among ethnomethodologists and conversation analysts concerning how conversation analysis should address questions of social structure. It also discusses the question of whether conversation analysis can address questions concerning the organisation of work as developed in the studies of work program of ethnomethodologists. Five different types of ethnomethodological and conversation analytic studies are delineated in order to show that, altough they differ in problem selection and formulation, methodological preference and foci, they are not incompatible but complementary.Presented at the meetings of the International Institute for Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis, Bentley College, August 1992.     

Applications of covariance structure modeling in psychology: cause for concern?

Methods of covariance structure modeling are frequently applied in psychological research. These methods merge the logic of confirmatory factor analysis, multiple regression, and path analysis within a single data analytic framework. Among the many applications are estimation of disattenuated correlation and regression coefficients, evaluation of multitrait-multimethod matrices, and assessment of hypothesized causal structures. Shortcomings of these methods are commonly acknowledged in the mathematical literature and in textbooks. Nevertheless, serious flaws remain in many published applications. For example, it is rarely noted that the fit of a favored model is identical for a potentially large number of equivalent models. A review of the personality and social psychology literature illustrates the nature of this and other problems in reported applications of covariance structure models.     

The optimal structure for psychoanalytic education today: a feasible proposal?

Our psychoanalytic training system, close to a century old, has been subjected to increasing criticism, starting shortly after its creation, for failing to properly fulfill its avowed purposes. The most intense critiques have centered around the authoritarian power lodged in a self-selected training analyst elite, the inadequate development of a psychoanalytic research tradition, and the isolation of our educational structure from cognate disciplines concerned with human mental life, owing to its private and part-time nature, apart from the university with its spectrum of biological and human sciences. Efforts to reform this system, including the establishment of psychoanalytic institutes within medical school departments of psychiatry, and the further call for their autonomous placement within the university at large, with full-time students and faculty, have been only partially successful and have not become widespread. The values of the newly emerging multifaceted psychoanalytic center as the best currently achievable fundamental reform are presented.