The potential of HyperCard for psychological research and instruction: A general discussion and description of two research applications

In this paper, we discuss the potential of HyperCard for research and instruction in psychology. First we give a general overview of the HyperCard program; after that, we present two HyperCard stacks as sample solutions for two specific research applications. Surveyor, a self-contained survey tool, is a HyperCard-based vehicle for developing, administering, and processing tests and surveys. Queston demonstrates how HyperCard can be used as a data-management and data-analysis tool during the stages of questionnaire development. Both stacks illustrate how flexible HyperCard is and how easy it is to use it to manage, analyze, and process data, to transfer data to other programs, and to print reports. HyperCard, unlike traditional applications, gives the user a great degree of control over the way information is stored, mainipulated, and presented. Although both stacks are custom-made for specific purposes, the concepts underlying the design can be generally applied and adapted for other purposes.     

心理学研究中的可重复性问题:从危机到契机

可重复性问题是当前科学界面临的共同问题。最近,心理学研究领域的可重复性问题也受到广泛关注,引起了研究者的积极讨论与探索。通过对2008年发表的100项研究结果进行大规模重复实验,研究者发现,心理学研究的成功重复率约为39%,但该研究仍然存在着巨大的争议,不同的研究者对其结果的解读不尽相同。针对可重复性问题,研究者通过数据模拟、元分析以及调查等多种方法来分析和探索其原因,这些研究表明,可重复性问题本质上可能是发表的研究假阳性过高,可疑研究操作是假阳性过高的直接原因,而出版偏见和过度依赖虚无假设检验则是更加深层的原因。面对可重复性问题,研究者从统计方法和研究实践两个方面提出了相应的解决方案,这些方法与实践正在成为心理学研究的新标准。然而,要解决可重复性问题,还需要心理学研究领域的多方参与,尤其是在政策上鼓励公开、透明和开放的研究取向,避免出版偏见。心理学研究者为解决可重复性问题做出的努力,不仅会加强心理学研究的可靠性,也为其他学科解决可重复问题提供了借鉴,推动科学界可重复问题的解决。     

Substantiating psychological injury under the federal employees' compensation act

This paper examines the administration of the Federal Employees Compensation Act by the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP). It examines compensation claims originating at a large federal agency with a psychological component as either cause or consequence of a work-related injury. Patterns of case outcomes are noted to be similar to those in other jurisdictions, and are discussed in terms of dirticdty of proof and policy preferences. Possible anomalies in the administration of the statutes are noted. The paper describes difliculties for mental health professionals attempting to substantiate psychological injuries, and addresses ethical issues related to tension between the nature of science and the requirements of administrative systems. Knowledge regarding idormational requirements and evaluative criteria used by OWCP is necessary to effectively substantiate the work-relatedness of an injury. The paper provides guidelines concerning these requirements and criteria.     

The concept of adaptation-level in psychological research

Vuorinen, R. The concept of adaptation-level in psychological research. Scand. J. Psychol., 1973, 14, 228–240.- Helson's adaptation-level theory (ALT) is appraised as a general theory of psychology. The reformulated Fechner law underlying ALT is shown to be untenable and the conceptual status of AL is shown to be self-contradictory. The ambiguous measures and the inconsistent theoretical definitions proposed for AL are found to limit the scope of ALT. Reasons for its flexibility and claimed heuristic value are analyzed and potential sources of confusion are suggested. Some defects of ALT are likely to be shared by other behaviouristic theories since they follow from a commitment to the strict S-R model.     

Developing a federal policy on research misconduct

Since April 1996, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), in collaboration with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Office of the President, has been leading the development of a government-wide Federal policy for research misconduct. The author is a Senior Policy Analyst in the Office of Science and Technology Policy and a participant in this process. This paper places the NSTC/OSTP effort in historical context, outlines the process by which the policy will be finalized, and discusses the principal issues raised during the policy development process.     

Impacts of psychological science on national security agencies post-9/11

Psychologists have been an integral part of national security agencies since World War I, when psychological science helped in personnel selection. A robust infrastructure supporting wider applications of psychology to military and intelligence problems developed further during World War II and the years following, primarily in the areas of testing, human factors, perception, and the decision sciences. Although the nature of the attacks on 9/11 raised the level of perceived need for increased human-based intelligence, the impacts of psychologists on the policies and practices of national security agencies in the decade since have not increased significantly.     

The computer as experimenter in social psychological research

The effects of familiarity and exposure paradigm on evaluative meaning were investigated in four experiments involving 161 Ss. A DEC PDP-10 computer linked to a VB10-C display screen for 1/0 assigned Ss to condition, presented instructions, tested Ss’ understanding of the instructions, generated and displayed stimuli in various frequencies, and obtained evaluative ratings of the stimuli. Problems encountered, Ss’ reactions, and current and possible use of the computer in social psychological research are discussed.     

The single latin square design in psychological research

The expected value of mean square concept is used to determine the effects of the presence of interactions in the single Latin square design onF tests. The results indicate that as the number of random effects included in the experiment increase, moreF tests are unbiased, and that some of these are validF tests. However, whenF test bias does occur it is almost always of a negative nature so that the conclusions stated are conservative ones. PositiveF test bias may occur when the triple interaction is extant and when zero or one random variate is included in the experiment.     

Women as authority figures: The use and nonuse of authority

This paper reports the results of two experiments designed to investigate the effect of sex-role stereotypes on evaluations of authority figures. Female and male subjects read short accounts of various situations in which an authority figure confronted a subordinate who had transgressed in some way and then evaluated the authority figure on a variety of dimensions. Sex of the authority figure and of the subordinate were varied factorially. In Experiment 1, where the authority figure took a hard line with the transgressing subordinate, it was found that a female authority figure being firm with a male subordinate was evaluated most negatively. In Experiment 2, where the authority figure was lenient with the subordinate, it was found that a female authority figure being lenient with a female subordinate was evaluated most negatively. Implications of the results are discussed.