Visual perception and the guidance of locomotion without vision to previously seen targets

Two experiments were performed to assess the accuracy and precision with which adults perceive absolute egocentric distances to visible targets and coordinate their actions with them when walking without vision. In experiment 1 subjects stood in a large open field and attempted to judge the midpoint of self-to-target distances of between 4 and 24 m. In experiment 2 both highly practiced and unpracticed subjects stood in the same open field, viewed the same targets, and attempted to walk to them without vision or other environmental feedback under three conditions designed to assess the effects on accuracy of time-based memory decay and of walking at an unusually rapid pace. In experiment 1 the visual judgments were quite accurate and showed no systematic constant error. The small variable errors were linearly related to target distance. In experiment 2 the briskly paced walks were accurate, showing no systematic constant error, and the small, variable errors were a linear function of target distance and averaged about 8% of the target distance. Unlike Thomson's (1983) findings, there was not an abrupt increase in variable error at around 9 m, and no significant time-based effects were observed. The results demonstrate the accuracy of people's visual perception of absolute egocentric distances out to 24 m under open field conditions. The accuracy of people's walking without vision to previously seen targets shows that efferent and proprioceptive information about locomotion is closely calibrated to visually perceived distance. Sensitivity to the correlation of optical flow with efferent/proprioceptive information while walking with vision may provide the basis for this calibration when walking without vision.     

Dissociation between visual perception of allocentric distance and visually directed walking of its extent

Walking without vision to previously viewed targets was compared with visual perception of allocentric distance in two experiments. Experimental evidence had shown that physically equal distances in a sagittal plane on the ground were perceptually underestimated as compared with those in a frontoparallel plane, even under full-cue conditions. In spite of this perceptual anisotropy of space, Loomis et al (1992 Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance 18 906-921) found that subjects could match both types of distances in a blind-walking task. In experiment 1 of the present study, subjects were required to reproduce the extent of allocentric distance between two targets by either walking towards the targets, or by walking in a direction incompatible with the locations of the targets. The latter condition required subjects to derive an accurate allocentric distance from information based on the perceived locations of the two targets. The walked distance in the two conditions was almost identical whether the two targets were presented in depth (depth-presentation condition) or in the frontoparallel plane (width-presentation condition). The results of a perceptual-matching task showed that the depth distances had to be much greater than the width distances in order to be judged to be equal in length (depth compression). In experiment 2, subjects were required to reproduce the extent of allocentric distance from the viewing point by blindly walking in a direction other than toward the targets. The walked distance in the depth-presentation condition was shorter than that in the width-presentation condition. This anisotropy in motor responses, however, was mainly caused by apparent overestimation of length oriented in width, not by depth compression. In addition, the walked distances were much better scaled than those in experiment 1. These results suggest that the perceptual and motor systems share a common representation of the location of targets, whereas a dissociation in allocentric distance exists between the two systems in full-cue conditions.     

管理者权力距离对员工创造性观点产生与实施关系的调节作用

本研究考察了管理者的权力距离对于员工创造性观点产生与实施过程的调节作用。对170名企业员工和他们的直接主管的问卷调查结果表明：（1）管理者的权力距离对员工创造性观点的产生与实施的影响是不同的。管理者的高权力距离会抑制员工创造性观点的产生,但会促进员工创造性观点的实施。（2）管理者的高权力距离会促进员工创造性想法从产生向实施的转化。研究讨论了管理者的权力距离水平对于创新过程影响的实践意义。     

Alleys on an extensive apparent frontoparallel plane: a second experiment

Small light points were presented, in the dark, around a point in the center which was fixed at a distance of about 3 m from the subject. In experiment 1, the subject adjusted the positions of points so that all were frontoparallel and in three horizontal series, each consisting of five points, with the middle series level with the eyes, to satisfy the following conditions: (i) the three series must appear straight and horizontally parallel; (ii) the points of each of the five triplets must appear equally separated vertically; (iii) the three points of each triplet must appear to move horizontally along straight and parallel paths; (iv) the three points of each triplet must appear to move horizontally with a constant vertical separation. The most distant points were about 0.51 rad to the left and right of center, and about 0.22 rad above and below. In experiment 2, with the configuration of points obtained in experiment 1, the subject assessed ratios of all perceptual distances between points and also from the subject to all points. From experiment 1 (three subjects used), Gaussian curvature K and a constant related to depth perception (sigma) were estimated under the assumption that the frontoparallel plane is a Riemannian plane of constant curvature K and that Luneburg's mapping functions between visual space and physical space hold. The analysis was made according to equations different from those used previously. The results of experiment 2 (two subjects used) were analyzed by a new computer program in which no preassumed mapping functions are necessary for the estimation of K. From both analyses it is clear that there is no need to assume any other value of K than 0 (Euclidean) to describe the geometry of the frontoparallel plane. This presents a striking contrast to the results from experiments on parallel and equidistance alleys running toward the subject on the horizontal plane.     

Dissimilation,differential assimilation and social identity

Studied the behaviour of subjects in a ‘normalization’ experiment: when a consistent confederate adopts the subject's norms (adoption situation); when the consistent response of the confederate deviates from the subject's norm (distance situation). We had three conditions for each of these two modes of response: we manipulated the C's image (C was always similar to the subject), and the image of a reference population: C and S were both either very similar (C and S in the majority) or very dissimilar (C and S in the minority) to the population. Or there was no image manipulation. Sixty male subjects participated in this experiment: 10 subjects in each of the six experimental conditions. In two adoption conditions (no image, C and S in the majority) the subjects changed their responses when the confederate adopted their norm. Our hypothesis on the resistance to influence in one of the distance condition (C and S in the minority) was not verified. Thus we have shown that a phenomenon of differential dissimilation exists, but our previous results on differential assimilation are not replicated. These results are coherent with the social differentiation and originality theory which stresses the quest for social identity and distinctiveness by actors who do not ‘react’ but who, in certains situations, elaborate strategies.     

Effect of varying the duration of grain presentation on automaintenance

In a series of three experiments the effects of variation in grain duration on automaintenance were evaluated. In the first experiment, key illumination was followed by grain only when pigeons did not peck the key. Each subject was exposed to 2-, 4-, and 8-second feeder durations in blocks of 10 sessions. Subjects pecked on a high percentage of trials at all feeder durations. The mean peck latency was shorter in the 8-second condition than in the two other conditions in five of six subjects. The conditional probability of pecking given successive keylight-grain pairings did not increase as the number of pairings increased. The second experiment was identical to the first, except that key pecking had no scheduled consequence. Under these conditions, all three subjects showed substantial responding. The recorded measures showed no systematic relationship to feeder duration in this study. In the third experiment, two different stimuli were followed by feeder presentations of either identical (2- or 8-second) or different (2- and 8-second) durations within each session. Subjects tended to respond sooner and with a higher overall rate in the presence of the stimulus associated with the longer feeder duration only when different feeder durations were presented within the same session. This result was confirmed by direct observation of the pigeons. The results of these experiments suggest that the effects of varying grain duration may be small, compared to the effects of varying other variables. The results also suggest that the location as well as the frequency of pecking may be an important measure in the analysis of factors controlling the pigeon's key peck.     

The durations of attention to alternatives and re-evaluation in choices with two and three alternatives

In two experiments on choice the durations of attention to the alternatives were measured. In experiment 1 each subject chose one from two pictures; in experiment 2 the choice was one from three pictures. In both experiments the subjects understood that they would acquire the picture that they selected. In each experiment higher and lower conflict conditions were induced by offering subjects a choice between alternatives that had been evaluated either equally or disparately. In both experiments a significant relationship appeared between duration of attention and preference order with most subjects looking longest at the alternative that was preferred. In the comparison between conditions this effect was found to be stronger under lower conflict than under higher conflict; this difference reached a significant level in experiment 2. These results are contrary to findings by Gerard (1967), and this matter is discussed. The relevance of the results to other theories is examined. Inferences were drawn from dissonance theory about re-evaluation effects after decision, and evaluation changes were measured in the experiments. After adjustment for measurement regression, the data failed to reveal a significant chronic re-evaluation effect. Contrary to dissonance theory, the re-evaluation effect was weaker in the three-alternative choice experiment than in the two-alternative choice experiment.     

Control of myoelectrical responses through reinforcement

A classic experiment by Hefferline, Keenan, and Harford (1959) showed that small thumb-twitches, imperceptible to the subject, can be controlled by the consequences of terminating and/or postponing aversive noise. These findings were further investigated in three experiments reported here. Experiment 1 replicated the original study. Experiment 2 was a control study in which stimulus changes were presented as in Experiment 1, but independently of the responses. Under these conditions the response rate varied over a large range with no systematic relation to experimental events. The increments in response rate reported by Hefferline et al. were within the present range of variation, suggesting that conditioning in the earlier study may have reflected a consistency in the direction of change rather than an increase in rate beyond the baseline range. In the present experiment, however, the rate increase was absolute. In Experiment 3, analog rather than binary changes in stimulus conditions were used as reinforcement. Under these conditions, the rates of subjects whose responses were conditioned fell from 78% (in the previous experiment) to 31%.     

Anger and Gender Effects in Observed Supervisor-Subordinate Dyadic Interactions

This study investigates the effects of a supervisor's anger and supervisor's and subordinate's gender on evaluations made by observers of interacting supervisor-subordinate dyads. In a laboratory experiment, 370 undergraduates viewed one of eight video-tapes representing the conditions of the 2 (gender of supervisor) × 2 (gender of subordinate) × 2 (presence or absence of anger) design and then completed evaluations of the supervisor and the subordinate. A field study using 265 employees from three organizations replicated the laboratory results. In spite of constant dialogue in the interactions across all eight conditions, supervisors expressing anger were rated lower and female supervisors were rated higher by observers. Subordinates were rated higher when interacting with an angry supervisor and when interacting with a male supervisor. Main effects of supervisor's gender may reflect over-evaluation of unexpected, albeit average, performance. The joint supervisor and subordinate effects are interpreted as reflecting a dyadic rating effect in which high ratings assigned to one member of the dyad are accompanied by lower ratings assigned to the other member.     

Knowledge of spatial relations: Varying the precision with which locations must be specified

In previous studies, subjects have been asked whether one named town is north (say) of another. The results have shown that as the distance between the towns increases, reaction times decrease. Explanations have focused on a subject's disposition to derive an answer by using less precise information about location when the towns are far apart. In the present experiments, subjects who had memorized a map of Europe were asked whether an imaginary line connecting two named towns passes through a named country. The country was either large or small in area, and the distance between the towns was either long or short. It was expected that in the large country condition less precise information would be used when the distance was long than when it was short, as inferred in previous experiments. Accordingly, reaction times decreased as the distance increased. In the small country condition it was supposed that some degree of precision would be required to determine that the line ran through the country, regardless of the distance between the towns. Therefore, it was expected that the size of the country would limit the degree to which a decrease in precision could occur with an increase in distance. Consistent with this expectation, distance and size of country interacted, such that when the country was small an increase in distance did not cause a decrease in reaction time. Similar results were found in a second experiment.     

Supervisor Narcissism and Employee Performance: A Moderated Mediation Model of Affective Organizational Commitment and Power Distance Orientation

Abstract

Drawing upon social exchange theory, this research investigates how and when supervisor narcissism influences subordinates’ performance. Study 1 uses a two-wave survey and reveals that supervisor narcissism is negatively related to subordinates’ in-role performance. Subordinates’ affective organizational commitment mediates the relationship between supervisor narcissism and subordinates’ in-role performance. Moreover, the mediating effect is moderated by subordinates’ power distance orientation such that the mediation is weaker when power distance orientation is higher. Study 2 utilizes experimental research to replicate and extend the findings of Study 1. It shows that supervisor narcissism also negatively influences subordinates’ extra-role performance. Subordinates’ affective organizational commitment also mediates the relationship between supervisor narcissism and extra-role performance. Moreover, power distance orientation also moderates the mediating effect.     

Reciprocal cooperation in dyads

This study investigated the conditions that promote long-term social exchange when the immediate payoff for social participation is equal to or less than for individual responding. The 10 subjects, from a special education unit and ranging between 10 and 16 years of age, comprised five dyads to participate in daily 20-min sessions. During the first experiment, the subjects sat beside each other and in front of an automated apparatus which automatically distributed points (representing money) to self, to partner, or to the group. During baseline conditions, the subjects could earn reinforcers from all three modes. During the dependency conditions, which alternated between subjects at 3-day intervals, one subject could earn reinforcers from all three modes while a partner could earn reinforcers only from the mode requiring subject's assistance. Four of the five dyads increased their levels of cooperative responding during the several reversals in which first one and then the other subject was dependent upon the partner for reinforcement. This pattern maintained when the method of distributing reinforcers was changed to a manual procedure requiring the experimenter to record point distributions by transferring beads on an abacus. This suggested that the distribution modes rather than the experimental apparatus were important in promoting the cooperative pattern. In the second experiment all subjects continued to cooperate with partner, even when they could have earned more by working alone. Eventually a value for the self mode was reached where the subjects discontinued their cooperation to work for self.     

The effects of perspective alterations on apparent size and distance scales

Ss made magnitude estimations first of the areas, then of the distances, of four circles presented at five distances within an enclosed box 9 ft long. There were three viewing situations: the box had parallel walls, converging walls, or diverging walls. The variations in perspective cues influenced the apparent distance scales: with converging and parallel walls, apparent distance grew as the 1.4 power of physical distance; with diverging walls, it grew as the .95 power. Apparent area was related to distance differently in the three conditions: with converging walls, apparent area increased with distance; with parallel and diverging walls, apparent area decreased with distance. Apparent area was thus not related to changes in physical distance as the apparent distance effects would predict. In each condition, the ratio of apparent area to apparent distance (S′/D′) was a monotonie increasing function of retinal angle θ, but the rate of growth varied among the three conditions. The failure of θ D′ to define a unique value of S′ across conditions indicates that the size-distance invariance hypothesis is inadequate to predict the outcome of this experiment.     

Suggestibility and type of interpersonal relationship: Special implications for the patient-practitioner relationship

Suggestibility was assessed in five conditions by the subject's response to suggestions falsely labeled as matters of fact. These misrepresentations of fact, or virtual suggestions, denoted a variety of hallucinations, an anesthesia, and an amnesia. They were administered as incidental intrusions while the subject was involved in the primary experimental task. In three of these conditions, the subject either observed his own spontaneous visual imagery, observed visual scenes provided by the experimenter, or simply waited with closed eyes for the presentation of the virtual stimuli. These conditions were characterized by a passive-receptive, interpersonal relationship in which the subject remained silent. Suggestibility was expected to be high. In a fourth condition the subjects described spontaneous visual imagery. This was characterized as an active-receptive relationship in which speech was maintained throughout. The suggestibility of the three passive-receptive conditions was comparable, and none of them differed from a baseline condition involving the formal induction of hypnosis. However, the fourth, active-receptive condition was significantly lower, and this difference survived a replication. Of special interest was the induction of an anesthesia in the majority of subjects in the three passive-receptive conditions.     

Apes know that hidden objects can affect the orientation of other objects

Four bonobos, seven gorillas, and six orangutans were presented with two small rectangular boards on a platform. One of the boards had a piece of food under it so that it acquired an inclined orientation whereas the other remained flat on the platform. Subjects preferentially selected the inclined board. In another experiment, subjects were initially presented with two inclined boards and a transformation took place in which one of the boards fell flat to the platform while the other remained inclined. Subjects also preferred the board that remained inclined. Two additional experiments highlighted some of the possible limitations of their reasoning in this task. Presented with two inclined boards, one of which was visibly supported by a piece of wood, they failed to systematically select the unsupported one whose only reason for being inclined was the presence of the reward. Another experiment presented two rewards in each trial (instead of the customary one) in one of the following two combinations: large banana vs. small carrot or small banana vs. large carrot. Prior to the test, E presented both rewards to the subject and then hid each of them under one of the boards so that both boards were differentially inclined due to the different sizes of the rewards involved. Although subjects selected the board that showed a greater inclination (thus securing the larger reward), they disregarded the type of food that was involved. This often meant that they chose the large carrot over the small banana even though they reversed such a choice when the rewards were not occluded by the boards. Providing subjects with a 'reminder' of the type of reward hidden under the boards did not alter the original results. There was no evidence of learning throughout the various experiments and control tests ruled out the possibility of inadvertent cuing by the experimenter, poor performance due to a lack of motivation, or good performance due to a predisposition to select objects with sloped surfaces. It is concluded that subjects made some inferences about the reason for the inclined orientation of the boards, and not simply associated an inclined orientation with the presence of the reward.     

Computer Monitoring of Work Performance: Extending the Social Facilitation Framework to Electronic Presence1

This study demonstrated the utility of employing a social facilitation framework to the study of computer monitoring of work performance. The physical presence of an observer watching a subject work on a complex task (as a supervisor might “look over an employee's shoulder“) was contrasted with four conditions involving the electronic presence of computer-based work monitoring (as a supervisor might monitor an employee's work remotely via computer) and a control condition of subjects working alone without any monitoring of their work. Task performance was severely impaired for participants who were monitored electronically as well as for those who were monitored “in person.” Two interventions, providing participants with a sense of control over their work conditions and monitoring participants as a group rather than as individuals, each reduced the negative impact of monitoring on task performance by almost 40%. Results also indicated that individuals with an external locus of control (who believe reinforcements received are primarily determined by factors outside of themselves, e. g., other people) experience greater anxiety than those with an internal locus of control under monitoring conditions. Implications of these findings for social facilitation and the rapidly expanding use of computer-based work monitoring are discussed.     

Upward power tendencies in a hierarchy: Power Distance Theory versus bureaucratic rule

Two contrasting notions concerning upward power tendencies within hierarchically structured groups are investigated. Power Distance Theory assumes that people have a desire for power that results in a tendency to reduce the power distance towards a more powerful other, and this tendency is assumed to be stronger the smaller the power distance. The bureaucratic rule implies that a vacant position may only be taken over by someone from the level immediately below the vacant position. In Experiment 1, power distance from the top position of a hierarchy was manipulated by assigning 120 subjects to a higher or a lower position in a power hierarchy. Results showed that only the motivation derived from the bureaucratic rule (i.e. entitlement) mediated the relationship between power distance and upward tendencies. In Experiment 2, a more pertinent test of the two theoretical notions was performed by assigning 139 subjects to one of three positions. The main results were consistent with the bureaucratic rule: (1) subjects immediately below the top position showed a stronger upward tendency towards this position than subjects in the two lower positions, whereas no differences were found between subjects in these two lower positions; (2) again only entitlement mediated the relationship between power distance and upward tendencies.     

Perceptions of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

This study attempted to test assumptions derived from the sex-role spillover model of sexual harassment developed by Gutek and Morasch (1982). One hundred fourteen male and 120 female undergraduates were asked to read scenarios describing potentially sexually oriented behaviors toward women in three different types of job settings (job types: female dominated, male dominated, and mixed). The independent variables were (a) the status difference between the supervisor and subordinate (small vs. large), (b) job type, (c) sex of subject, and (d) sex type of subject (same-sexed, cross-sexed, androgynous, or undifferentiated). The results indicated that ambiguous behaviors are perceived as being more sexually harassing in male dominated and mixed settings than in female dominated settings. The implications for future theory and research on sexual harassment are discussed.     

The role of offer rates in controlling sharing by young children

The effects of different reinforcement contingencies on the rates of offers to share and their corresponding rates of acceptance by two small groups of preschool children were investigated in two experiments. In the first experiment, food and praise were given after a 5-min play period to any subject who had made one or more offers to share during the play period. This procedure increased the rate of share-offers by all subjects. However, as share-offers increased, the percentage of offers accepted decreased. In the second experiment, reinforcement was made contingent on a subject reducing offers to share to only one or two per 5-min period. This led to a higher percentage of the offers being accepted. The results suggest that by controlling the rate of a social behavior, the manner in which other persons in the environment respond to the behavior may also be influenced.