Symmetry and repetition in perspective

Although ecologically relevant, perspective views of symmetries and repetitions have hardly been investigated. Any symmetry or repetition that is not oriented orthogonally to the line of sight yields perspective distortions on the retina. In this study, these distortions are analyzed in terms of first-order structures (i.e., virtual lines between corresponding points) and second-order structures (i.e., correlation quadrangles formed by two virtual lines). In the literature, these structures have been proposed to guide the detection of fron to parallel symmetry and repetition. But what about perspective views? First, the analysis in this study shows that perspective distorts the retinal first-order and second-order structures of symmetry and repetition differently. Second, the results of two experiments on this distortion difference suggest that, in perspective views, symmetry and repetition detection is not preceded by normalization but occurs directly on the basis of the retinal first-order and second-order structures.     

Monocular discrimination of rigidly and nonrigidly moving objects

Wemeasured thresholds for the monocular discrimination of rigidly and nonrigidly moving objects defined by motion parallax. The retinal projections of rigidly moving objects are subject to certain constraints. By applying smooth 2-D transformations to the projections of rigidly moving objects, we created stimuli in which these constraints were affected. Thresholds for (generic) nonrigid transformations that in theory can be detected from rigid ones by processing pairs of views depended not only on the extent to which the rigidity constraints were affected, but also on the structure and the movement of the simulated object. Nonrigid transformations under which every three successive views had a rigid interpretation were not discriminable from rigid transformations, except in cases where the distortions were very large. Under the rigidity assumption, this would mean that a large class of nonrigidly moving objects is erroneously perceived as rigidly moving.     

Goodness and Justice*

In Goodness and Justice, Joseph Mendola defends three related views in normative ethics: a novel form of consequentialism, a Bentham‐style hedonism about “basic” value, and a maximin principle about the value of a world. In defending these views he draws on his views in metaethics, action theory, and the philosophy of mind. It is an ambitious and wide‐ranging book. I begin with a quick explanation of Mendola’s views, and then raise some problems.     

Sexual offenders' cognitive distortions as implicit theories

In this article, I argue that sexual offenders' cognitive distortions emerge from underlying causal theories about the nature of their victims. These implicit theories function like scientific theories and are used to explain empirical regularities (e.g., other people's actions) and to make predictions about the world. They are relatively coherent and constituted by a number of interlocking ideas and their component concepts and categories. Following a review of research from other areas in psychology on implicit theories, I consider the implications of this perspective for understanding cognitive distortions in sexual offenders. Finally, I discuss the research and clinical implications of viewing cognitive distortions in offenders as implicit theories.     

When Walking Makes Perception Better

ABSTRACT— When we move, the visual world moves toward us. That is, self-motion normally produces visual signals (flow) that tell us about our own motion. But these signals are distorted by our motion: Visual flow actually appears slower while we are moving than it does when we are stationary and our surroundings move past us. Although for many years these kinds of distortions have been interpreted as a suppression of flow to promote the perception of a stable world, current research has shown that these shifts in perceived visual speed may have an important function in measuring our own self-motion. Specifically, by slowing down the apparent rate of visual flow during self-motion, our visual system is able to perceive differences between actual and expected flow more precisely. This is useful in the control of action.     

Quantum gravity,timelessness, and the contents of thought

Philosophical Studies - A number of recent theories of quantum gravity lack a one-dimensional structure of ordered temporal instants. Instead, according to many of these views, our world is either...     

Representational momentum,spatial layout,and viewpoint dependency

Completing a representational momentum (RM) task, participants viewed one of three camera motions through a scene and indicated whether test probes were in the same position as they were in the final view of the animation. All camera motions led to RM anticipations in the direction of motion, with larger distortions resulting from rotations than a compound motion of a rotation and a translation. A surprise test of spatial layout, using an aerial map, revealed that the correct map was identified only following aerial views during the RM task. When the RM task displayed field views, including repeated views of multiple object groups, participants were unable to identify the overall spatial layout of the scene. These results suggest that the object–location binding thought to support certain change detection and visual search tasks might be viewpoint dependent.     

Families' Schemata of Social Relationships

Variation in views of the social environment held jointly by members of family units was examined from a theoretical perspective that specifies distinct kinds of variation among families in their beliefs about the fundamental nature of the social world. Associations compatible with theory were found between direct measures of family interaction and families' schemata of social relationships as assessed by using a felt figure technique. Additional evidence indicated that variation among families in the schemata displayed resulted from similar contributions by all individuals in a family studied. Findings support the existence of family social schemata — a family group's set of views about the organization of relationships in the social world — and indicate several dimensions by which these schemata vary from family to family.     

Intuition vs. deduction: Some thought experiments concerning Likert's linking-pin theory of organization

The implications of the overlapping, hierarchical (linking-pin) structure proposed by Likert, 1961, Likert, 1967 were evaluated through the use of “thought experiments” (Davis, 1980; Davis & Kerr, 1986); i.e., using formal models to logically deduce the potential implications of theoretical assumptions. A series of computer simulations, based on Social Decision Scheme theory (Davis, 1973), were used to test the notion that Likert's linking-pin organizational structure would lead to greater and more accurate upward communication flow. The simulation results indicated that the successive decision processes implied in the Linking-Pin model can, under some conditions, lead to systematic distortions in the representation of lower-level preferences and opinions at the higher levels of decision-making. Assuming a majority decision process, the distortions tend to underemphasize minority views. In addition, results indicated that the degree of minority/majority segregation at different organizational levels also affects the degree to which lower-level preferences are accurately represented at higher organizational levels. Finally, there is a discussion of the implications of these results, and of the thought experiment approach in general, for organizational theory and research.     

Merleau‐Ponty and Nagarjuna: relational social ontology and the ground of ethics

Through a comparative analysis of the key ontological notions in Merleau‐Ponty and Nagarjuna, I develop a relational social ontology that is grounded in their respective implicit and explicit ethics. Both thinkers take heed of our being‐in‐the‐world; this is evident in their views on intersubjective sociality and language. Recognizing the limitations in these views points us toward a greater understanding of the meaningfulness of our situated existences. In this vein, I propose a number of ideas to guide the work of comparative philosophy.     

Visual illusions and ethnocentrism: exemplars for teaching cross-cultural concepts

This article discusses the origins of cross-cultural interest in two concepts fundamental to psychology students' views of the world: simple visual illusions and ethnocentrism. Although students encounter these ideas in introductory psychology, textbooks rarely describe the nature or origin of cross-cultural knowledge about them. The article presents a brief account of the history of these concepts and relates them to contemporary notions of psychology and culture. Using visual perception and ethnocentrism as examples, the article suggests the importance of teaching that different people see the world in different ways and the role of that lesson in a future demanding increased cross-cultural understanding.     

Coping self-efficacy mediates the effects of negative cognitions on posttraumatic distress

Although cognitive distortions have predicted posttraumatic distress after various types of traumatic events, the mechanisms through which cognitive distortions influence posttraumatic distress remain unclear. We hypothesized that coping self-efficacy, the belief in one's own ability to manage posttraumatic recovery demands, would operate as a mediator between negative cognitions (about self, about the world, and self-blame beliefs) and posttraumatic distress. In the cross-sectional Study 1, data collected among 66 adult female victims of child sexual abuse indicated that coping self-efficacy mediated the effects of negative cognitions about self and about the world on posttraumatic distress. The same pattern of results was found in a longitudinal Study 2, conducted among 70 survivors of motor vehicle accidents. Coping self-efficacy measured at 1 month after the trauma mediated the effects of 7-day negative cognitions about self and about the world on 3-month posttraumatic distress. In both studies self-blame was not related to posttraumatic distress and the effect of self-blame on posttraumatic distress was not mediated by coping self-efficacy. The results provide insight into a mechanism through which negative cognitions may affect posttraumatic distress and highlight the potential importance of interventions aimed at enhancing coping self-efficacy beliefs.     

We'll never get past the glass ceiling! Meta‐stereotyping,world‐views and perceived relative group‐worth

This article examines the implications of perceived negativity from members of a dominant outgroup on the world views and perceived relative group worth of members of disadvantaged groups. We hypothesized that concerns about the negative opinions a dominant outgroup is perceived to hold of the ingroup (i.e., meta‐stereotypes) would undermine group members' views about societal fairness. We expected this trend to be mediated by recall of previous personal experiences of discrimination. We further hypothesized that members' views about societal fairness would predict their perception of the ingroup's worth relative to the outgroup – such that undermined views about societal fairness would be associated with lower perceived ingroup worth relative to the outgroup. Taken jointly, results from two studies using two real intergroup contexts support these hypotheses and are discussed in terms of their implications for the social mobility of members of disadvantaged groups.     

NARCISSISTIC DEFENSES IN THE DISTORTION OF FREE ASSOCIATION AND THEIR UNDERLYING ANXIETIES

This paper examines particular distortions in the process of free association characteristics of patients with narcissistic personality disorders. The author proposes that the dominant narcissistic transference developments typical of the early and middle phases of the analytic treatment of these patients are reflected in these distortions of free association. This paper gathers the various patterns that these defensive distortions present, along with technical interventions geared to deal with them.     

Children's Graffiti: Visual Communication from a Developmental Perspective

The graffiti of children, an unobtrusive measure collected in Puerto Rican natural settings, revealed the children's views about the world. Results show that these graffiti reflect a wide variety of content related to the child's immediate life experiences such as concerns with their self-identity, interpersonal relations, cultural understandings, sexuality, and religious and political beliefs.     

The Impact of World Views on Professional Life-styling

A world view expresses the presuppositions a person makes about his or her world. These basic presuppositions center on the nature of ultimate reality, of the universe, of mankind, the meaning of death, the basis of ethics, and the meaning of human history. The four perspectives of theism, deism, agnosticism, and atheism summarize views regarding these six issues. Then the influence of each of the four perspectives on certain counseling issues that are seen as the warp and woof of a counselor's value system are analyzed. These special counseling issues are the counselor-client relationship, motives for counseling, counseling goals, the method of dealing with special problems, and the choice of counseling strategies. One implication of this analysis is that counselors-in-training should study all the perspectives and also formulate for themselves a personal counseling approach that reflects thinking on both the six world issues and the special counseling issues. The second implication of the analysis is that the authentic counselor can work with others in a climate of respect for world views that differ from his or hers. The counselor does not threaten their beliefs—even when helping them to explore, clarify, and develop personal values. Jeffry Tindall reviews the philosophical approach that Smith proposes and urges that the emphasis of counselors be focused in the philosophical area of axiology.     

Western esotericism: Towards an integrative model of interpretation

Despite the fact that during the last fifteen years we have witnessed the emergence of a research field of ‘Western esotericism’, scholars are still far from agreeing on definitions of ‘esotericism’. For an academic ‘field’, however, that wants to establish international networks and to bring together scholars from various research areas and disciplines, it is highly desirable to provide an interpretational framework in which these different studies find their place. The main argument of this article is that such common ground can be found only when esotericism is seen not as a selection of historical ‘currents’, however defined, but as a structural element of Western culture. After reviewing the most influential approaches to Western esotericism, this article identifies two dimensions of an esoteric discourse: claims of higher knowledge and ways of accessing this ‘truth’. To these dimensions can be added certain world views that are typically involved in there discourses. The interpretative model proposed here aims at critically addressing basic aspects of Western self-understanding including the rhetorics of rationality, science, enlightenment, progress and absolute truth. It postulates that conflicts of religious world views, identities and forms of knowledge lie at the heart of Western cultural history.     

The representation of visual scenes

The visual world exists all around us, yet this information must be gleaned through a succession of eye fixations in which high visual acuity is limited to the small foveal region of each retina. In spite of these physiological constraints, we experience a richly detailed and continuous visual world. Research on transsaccadic memory, perception, picture memory and imagination of scenes will be reviewed. Converging evidence suggests that the representation of visual scenes is much more schematic and abstract than our immediate experience would indicate. The visual system may have evolved to maximize comprehension of discrete views at the expense of representing unnecessary detail, but through the action of attention it allows the viewer to access detail when the need arises. This capability helps to maintain the 'illusion' of seeing a rich and detailed visual world at every glance.     

How Infants Learn About the Visual World

The visual world of adults consists of objects at various distances, partly occluding one another, substantial and stable across space and time. The visual world of young infants, in contrast, is often fragmented and unstable, consisting not of coherent objects but rather surfaces that move in unpredictable ways. Evidence from computational modeling and from experiments with human infants highlights three kinds of learning that contribute to infants' knowledge of the visual world: learning via association, learning via active assembly, and learning via visual-manual exploration. Infants acquire knowledge by observing objects move in and out of sight, forming associations of these different views. In addition, the infant's own self-produced behavior-oculomotor patterns and manual experience, in particular-are important means by which infants discover and construct their visual world.