The role of phonological and orthographic information in lexical selection

We report the performance of two patients with lexico-semantic deficits following left MCA CVA. Both patients produce similar numbers of semantic paraphasias in naming tasks, but presented one crucial difference: grapheme-to-phoneme and phoneme-to-grapheme conversion procedures were available only to one of them. We investigated the impact of this availability on the process of lexical selection during word production. The patient for whom conversion procedures were not operational produced semantic errors in transcoding tasks such as reading and writing to dictation; furthermore, when asked to name a given picture in multiple output modalities--e.g., to say the name of a picture and immediately after to write it down--he produced lexically inconsistent responses. By contrast, the patient for whom conversion procedures were available did not produce semantic errors in transcoding tasks and did not produce lexically inconsistent responses in multiple picture-naming tasks. These observations are interpreted in the context of the summation hypothesis (Hillis & Caramazza, 1991), according to which the activation of lexical entries for production would be made on the basis of semantic information and, when available, on the basis of form-specific information. The implementation of this hypothesis in models of lexical access is discussed in detail.     

When more is less: a counterintuitive effect of distractor frequency in the picture-word interference paradigm

Pictures were shown with superimposed word distractors of high and low frequency. Low-frequency distractors produced greater interference on picture naming than did high-frequency distractors. This distractor frequency effect was not affected by manipulations that facilitated or hindered distractor recognition. Interference was reduced for distractors that were read aloud several times prior to being shown in the picture-naming task. Together these findings suggest that the distractor frequency effect has its locus at some stage of lexical access for production. Other findings further constrain hypotheses about which level of speech production is involved in the effect. The distractor frequency effect has implications for models of lexical processing in speaking as well as for accounts of picture-word interference and the frequency effect.     

The organization of conceptual knowledge: the evidence from category-specific semantic deficits

Questions about the organization of conceptual knowledge in the human brain can be addressed by studying patients with category-specific semantic deficits: disproportionate and even selective impairment of conceptual knowledge of one category of objects compared with other categories. Recently, consensus has emerged regarding the basic facts of category-specific semantic deficits: (1) the categories that can be disproportionately impaired or spared are 'animals', 'fruit/vegetables', and 'artifacts'; and (2) category-specific semantic deficits are not associated with disproportionate deficits for a type or modality of knowledge. Together with findings in functional neuroimaging, these data indicate a complex organization of conceptual knowledge characterized by several independent dimensions of organization.     

On the categorical nature of the semantic interference effect in the picture-word interference paradigm

Two picture-word interference experiments are reported in which the boundaries of the semantic interference effect are explored. In both experiments, participants named pictures (e.g., a picture of a car) that appeared with superimposed word distractors. Distractor words from the same semantic category as the word for the picture (e.g., CAR) produced semantic interference, whereas semantically related distractors from a different category (e.g.,Bumper) led to semantic facilitation. In Experiment 2, the semantic facilitation from semantically related distractors was replicated. These results indicate that a semantic relationship between picture and distractor does not necessarily lead to interference and in fact can lead to facilitation. In all but one case tested until now, a semantic relationship between picture and distractor has led to semantic facilitation. The implications of these results for the assumption that the semantic interference effect arises as a consequence of lexical competition are discussed.     

Preserved orthographic length and transitional probabilities in written spelling in a case of acquired dysgraphia

We present the performance of a patient with acquired dysgraphia, DS, who has intact oral spelling (100% correct) but severely impaired written spelling (7% correct). Her errors consisted entirely of well-formed letter substitutions. This striking dissociation is further characterized by consistent preservation of orthographic, as opposed to phonological, length in her written output. This pattern of performance indicates that DS has intact graphemic representations, and that her errors are due to a deficit in letter shape assignment. We further interpret the occurrence of a small percentage of lexical errors in her written responses and a significant effect of letter frequencies and transitional probabilities on the pattern of letter substitutions as the result of a repair mechanism that locally constrains DS' written output.     

Perceived Autonomy Support Moderates the Relations between Counseling Self-Efficacy and Flow among Filipino Counselors

Contemporary literature has emphasized the vital role of supervision in the professional growth of counselors and therapists. Even some counselor developmental models argued that improvement in counselor autonomy, motivation, and self-efficacy is highly contingent upon counseling supervision, especially in Western settings. Yet, there is marked scarcity of studies examining the antecedents of flow in non-Western contexts. As such, the central aim of the current study was to assess the moderating effects of perceived autonomy support from supervisors on the relations between counseling self-efficacy (CSE) and state flow among Filipino counselors. A sample of 131 Filipino counselors in Metro Manila participated in the research through answering questionnaires that measured the aforementioned constructs. The findings of correlational analyses have shown that counseling self-efficacy and perceived autonomy support are positively associated with state flow. The results of path analysis revealed a significant moderation effect. This suggests that for Filipino counselors who had greater perceptions that their supervisors provide autonomy in their counseling practice (perceived autonomy support), having lower perceived capabilities in performing counseling duties may lead to higher immersion and enjoyment in counseling activities, while for those who have low perceived autonomy support, having higher levels of counseling self-efficacy will lead to lower flow. Implications of these findings in theory and practice are elucidated.     

Task influences on the production and comprehension of compound words

Studies of compound word processing have revealed effects of the compound’s constituents in a wide variety of word production and comprehension tasks. Surprisingly, effects of the compound’s constituents were not found in a recent word production study using the picture-naming task. Here, we examined whether these contrasting constituent effects reflect methodological differences or whether they reflect the influence of task-specific characteristics on compound processing. A large set of compounds was used to elicit picture-naming latencies in Experiment 1 and visual lexical decision latencies in Experiment 2. Regression analyses revealed surface frequency effects in picture naming and lexical decision and constituent effects only in lexical decision. These results rule out methodological differences as the basis for the contrasting constituent effects observed between the various tasks and imply that constituent effects are best understood as arising out of task-specific characteristics.     

Associations Between Mixed-Gender Friendships,Gender Reference Group Identity and Substance Use in College Students

We investigated the associations between same-gender friendship, gender reference group identity, and substance use in college students (54 % male, M age?=?19.23, SD?=?1.23) from the northeastern United States using an online survey. Male students reported greater weekly marijuana, but not alcohol use than female students. Regression analyses revealed that having a greater proportion of same-gender friendships was associated with greater weekly alcohol use for male students and lesser weekly alcohol and marijuana use for female students. Gender reference group identity was negatively associated with weekly marijuana use for male and female students. For female students, gender reference group identity mediated the association between proportion of same-gender friendships and weekly marijuana use. Our study highlights the importance of considering the social context (e.g., the gender of friends) and individual variables relating to gender (e.g. gender reference group identity) in substance use research. Our findings fit within social constructionist models of social development that suggest participation in gendered contexts (e.g., same-gender or other-gender-peer contexts) over time cue gender-typed behaviors such as using marijuana.